I have strep/mono and was given magic mouthwash. gargling it hasn't been helping with my tonsil pain at all , can i swab it onto my tonsils instead?

Systemic better: Local analgesics are not likely to help much in systemic diseases. Use ibuprofen, acetaminophen, Naproxen or Aspirin to relieve the pain.

Probably won't help: The infection in your tonsil areas will need more than a gentle swabbing or mouthwash to control. The mouthwash and gargling will help to remove surface irritants but it is probably important to see a pcp to get on a treatment protocol for the specific source of the infection- whether it is mono or strep.