I know you said something other than honey, etc, but that's all I can think of. Thin out some honey with vinegar, make it about half and half, and then drink that. The vinegar will thin the mucous, as someone else said, and you know that the honey will soothe your throat a little. I get strep a lot too, the only other thing I found helpful was to take a long hot shower and cough up as much of the shit as I could while I was in there.
Good luck, Tom. I feel for you, being sick while you have kiddos to take care of.
It's a hard job. Hope you feel better, hon.