Do you have to wash baby bottles after every use

Do I Need to Sterilize Bottles and Pacifiers After Every Use?

Do I Need to Sterilize Bottles and Pacifiers After Every Use? skip to main content Search for:

By Cathy Habas

Staff Writer, Safety & Security

May 31, 2022

Keeping your baby safe from sickness is a top priority, so it’s important to make sure anything going in your little one’s mouth is clean. Fortunately, you don’t have to buy a baby bottle sterilizer to keep things sanitary. If you use bottles or pacifiers, you’ll want to sterilize them before their first use and perhaps periodically thereafter, but it’s not necessary to sterilize bottles after every use.

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Wash Bottles Regularly to Remove Milk Buildup

On a day-to-day basis, a regular cycle in the dishwasher or scrub in the kitchen sink is good enough. In the dishwasher, be sure to put plastic items on the top rack to prevent melting. Pacifiers, nipples, and other small parts can be placed in special baskets on the top rack so they don’t fall through to the bottom of the dishwasher.

Sterilize Bottles and Binkies to Curb the Spread of Illness

It’s a good practice to sterilize bottles and binkies after your child has been sick, if you or other family members have been dealing with a contagious illness, or if another child has used their bottle or pacifier. Beyond that, use your best judgment. Some sources recommend monthly sterilizing, but assuming your water source is safe, the need is generally quite low. As a parent, you can decide your own comfort level when it comes to habits of cleaning and hygiene.

When it is time to sterilize, the process is simple: leave the bottles (including nipples) and pacifiers in a pot of boiling water for five minutes. You can also buy specially designed bottle sterilizers that use steam to kill germs and bacteria.

For more information on keeping your child safe at home and on the go, check out our buyers guides for baby monitors, baby-proofing locks, and baby gates.

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Written by

Cathy Habas

With over seven years of experience as a content writer, Cathy has a knack for untangling complex information. Her natural curiosity and ability to empathize help Cathy offer insightful, friendly advice. She believes in empowering readers who may not feel confident about a purchase, project, or topic. Cathy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Indiana University Southeast and began her professional writing career immediately after graduation. She has contributed to sites like Safety.com, Reviews.com, Hunker, and Thumbtack. Cathy’s pride and joy is her Appaloosa “Chacos.” She also likes to crochet while watching stand-up comedy specials on Netflix.

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Formula Feeding FAQs: Preparation and Storage (for Parents)

Whether you plan to formula feed your baby from the start, want to supplement your breast milk with formula, or are switching from breast milk to formula, you probably have questions.

Here are answers to some common questions about formula feeding.

Do I Need to Sterilize My Baby's Bottles?

Before the first use, sterilize nipples and bottles in boiling water for 5 minutes.

After that, you don’t have to sterilize your baby's bottles and supplies each time you feed your baby. Do wash bottles and nipples in hot, soapy water (or in the dishwasher) after every use. You can get a store-bought countertop or microwaveable sterilizer, but it’s not necessary.

How Do I Prepare My Baby's Bottles?

Carefully follow directions on the label when preparing formula. Most store-bought formula comes in three basic forms:

powders that you mix with water
concentrates, which are liquids that you dilute with water
ready-to-use (or ready-to-feed) liquids that can be poured right into bottles without adding water

Do not add more water than directed, or use formula past its expiration date.

Wash your hands well before preparing and feeding your baby. To mix powders or concentrates, use clean tap water. If you have a well, test the water to see if it’s safe before using it to mix infant formula.

If your tap water is not clean (or your baby has a weak immune system), boil it for at least 1 minute to kill germs. Let the water cool to room temperature before using it to mix formula. You also can use bottled water. Talk to your doctor if you’re concerned that your water is not safe.

Once prepared, the formula is ready to feed to your baby right away without refrigeration or warming. Feed your baby or store the prepared formula in the refrigerator within 2 hours.

How Long Can a Bottle Keep at Room Temperature?

Throw out any prepared or ready-to-feed formula that's been sitting out for 2 hours or more, or within 1 hour from start of feeding.

Can I Save Leftover Formula to Give to My Baby Later?

No, throw away any leftover formula. Harmful bacteria can multiply since the last feeding, which could make your baby sick.

Can I Prepare Formula Ahead of Time?

Some parents make a fresh bottle just before each feeding. But many parents make and refrigerate enough formula ahead of time to use for the day. If you know your baby eats every 3–4 hours, for instance, you can make 6 to 8 bottles to last you all day.

If you prepare formula ahead of time, store it in the refrigerator. You can use pre-made formula for up to 24 hours. Open containers of ready-made formula, concentrated formula, and formula prepared from concentrate can be stored safely in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Do not store unmixed powder in the refrigerator.

How Do I Warm My Baby's Bottles?

You don’t have to warm formula before feeding, but some babies may prefer it. To warm bottles, you can:

Run the bottle under very warm or hot water for a few minutes.
Put your baby's bottles in a pan of hot water. Be sure to remove the pan from the heat source before putting the bottle in it.
Use bottle warmers that sit on your countertop at home or are portable.

Never use the microwave to warm bottles. It can create dangerous "hot spots" in bottles that can burn your baby’s mouth and throat.

Before warming a bottle, shake it. Then, test the temperature of the formula by squirting a drop or two on the inside or your wrist before feeding your baby. It should be lukewarm (barely warm), not hot.

What and how to wash baby bottles

The body of a small child is only learning to resist the pathogenic microflora of the surrounding world, therefore, in this case, mother's help is indispensable. One of the main tasks of mothers at the stage of breastfeeding is to provide the baby with not only healthy, but also safe food. If the child eats only the breast, then additional measures other than the personal hygiene of the mother are not required, however, if feeding bottles have firmly entered his life, you cannot do without special measures to care for the dishes. nine0003

What to wash with?

Finding baby bottle detergent is easy, as you can find it in most home improvement stores. Choosing the right option is a little more difficult: the purchased product cannot contain fragrances, and dyes must be exclusively natural and approved for use in the food industry. A big plus will be the presence of disinfectants, which significantly increase safety. Many parents are happy to buy options marked "ECO", which are based on natural ingredients. nine0003

Detergent for children's dishes must be completely rinsed off not only with hot, but also with cold water. However, even the most harmless products must be washed off repeatedly with running water.

If parents do not want to leave their money in the pockets of manufacturers of household chemicals, then they can successfully use a popular folk remedy - dry mustard. This brown-yellow powder is completely safe for the human body, so accidentally remaining grains on children's dishes will not harm the baby in any way. nine0003

Dry mustard perfectly removes any dirt and grease from any surface and is very easy to rinse off. True, this tool has a certain drawback - if you take it directly with a sponge, then too much powder sticks and it is simply washed out with water. Ordinary salt shakers with holes that can be found in every home, as well as ready-made gruel in old bottles from household chemicals, will help solve this problem.

Another popular option is soda. Soaking children's dishes in a warm baking soda solution (especially overnight) makes it easy to remove even the most serious stains. nine0003

Laundry soap and homemade soap-based detergent also help keep baby bottles clean, but the soap leaves a thin film on the surface of the dishes, so rinsing in this case must be very thorough. For the comfort of mother's hands, a little glycerin can be added to detergents from laundry soap. A pleasant aroma to such products gives ordinary lemon juice.

How to wash?

Under no circumstances should you use sponges that clean dishes and cups for the whole family to care for children's dishes. The baby should have its own brushes, brushes and sponges. nine0003

Modern brushes, specially designed for washing "milk" bottles, are very convenient and functional. The bristles in such products are quite elastic, so it cleans the walls of the bottles well and does not scratch their surface. Many brushes are equipped with a soft sponge that perfectly rinses the bottom. Thanks to the suction cup on the bottom, the brush can be installed in a vertical position, thus protecting it from contact with not very clean surfaces.

An important point: no matter how convenient and expensive a baby bottle brush may seem, after a while it inevitably turns into a breeding ground for bacteria. Careful disinfection (for example, with vinegar) slightly extends the life of the product, but it still needs to be replaced periodically with a new one. nine0003

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HOW TO STERILIZE PHILIPS AVENT BOTTLES

Teats and bottles harbor millions of germs. They are not afraid of boiling water, soda and detergents. The only thing that kills them is hot steam, which literally dissolves bacilli with a probability of up to 99. 9%. Porridge and milk keep longer. A formula-fed baby is less likely to get sick.

So, mums, end your feeding with poorly washed bottles and learn how to disinfect them the way our grandmothers did. Only in a new way.

How to sterilize baby bottles

Washing with a brush or sponge is a must after every feeding. And it is better to sterilize in the evening or in the morning, in order to get rid of all pathogenic bacteria and not worry about the cleanliness of children's accessories. nine0003

When doing this, you must follow the safety rules: otherwise you can inadvertently scald or deform plastic dishes.

Below are three general guidelines for sterilizing baby bottles.

The utensil must not be immersed in boiling water, otherwise it will soften and melt.
Cups and bottles are placed with their neck down: so that the steam cleans the inside, and the condensate flows down the walls into a bowl.
The bottles must not touch the sides of the pot as they may melt and stick to them. nine0073

After sterilization, it is better not to remove the dishes from the container for about ten minutes. It should cool down to a comfortable temperature. And if you really need it, you should use tongs, oven mitts or a kitchen towel folded in several layers.

By the way: Baby utensils: how to choose - 4 key parameters to help

How to sterilize nipples for children?

Teats are sterilized in the same way as bottles, but with the base down - to steam not only the outer, but also the inner walls. And let the moisture drain. nine0003

Types of sterilization

Two types of sterilization are used for the treatment of children's utensils - steam and dry heat.

In the first case, the vessel is steamed.
In the second, washed and still wet bottles are heated in the oven, sterilizer, microwave, multicooker and even in the dishwasher, which supports steam treatment at 80+°C.

Life hack: how to steam bottles and other things with sterilization bags (such as Nuvita NV1087)
- Put dishes in food bags.
- Pour 60-70 ml of water into them.
- Microwave for 2-3 minutes.

The sterilization process is as simple as a copper penny. Evaporating moisture destroys pathogenic (and not only) microbes from various surfaces. Materials exposed to hot air and steam do not creak from cleanliness, but are sterile and safe for health.

Not only teats and bottles are disinfected in this way, but also brushes, bowls, thermoses and cups like Avent SCF796/01 and more.

An interesting article: When the first baby stroller appeared: 10 facts from history

In the microwave

There are 3 sterilization options in the microwave oven. Not all of them are suitable for processing nipples.

Place the bottles in a glass or ceramic dish → fill it with water → cover with a lid → put the microwave on maximum power for 5-7 minutes.
Pour water into the bottle 1-1.5 cm from the bottom → microwave for 3-5 minutes. The nipples will have to be washed separately. nine0073
In the Nuvita type microwave sterilizer (NV1085), it is enough to put the container → pour water → click on the valve → set the device to work for 5-8 minutes.

Picking up a hot dish is easier with tongs or oven mitts.

Sterilization in the microwave gives its advantages and disadvantages, described in the table: the inner bowl of the multicooker. So that the saucepan does not smell like food, otherwise bottles or children's dishes will take over this smell. nine0003

The subsequent sterilization process in the multicooker is similar to microwave.

Pour ≈ 1-1.5 liters of water into the bowl.
Place the steam rack and place the bottles upside down.
Seal the steam device hermetically.
Set "Steam" mode to 15 minutes or "Sterilize" mode.
Remove the dishes and cover with a towel to cool completely.

This method also has its pros and cons. nine0003

Sterilizer

Children's sterilizer is an electrical device for processing utensils. Works carefully, the bottle will not crack due to overheating.

In the steam sterilization method, everything is calculated with medical precision. The device holds up to 6-8 bottles and the same number of nipples. A great example of such a device is the Philips Avent 3-in-1 steam sterilizer. It is ideal for a family with several kids.

How the device works is as simple as it gets. It consists of step by step actions. nine0003

Pour cold water into the tank (how much is indicated in the instructions).
Place pre-cleaned bottles in the appropriate niches. This should be done upside down.
Close cover.
Switch on the sterilizer for 7-15 minutes.
Allow the device to “cool down” for 5-7 minutes. This is necessary so that you do not accidentally burn yourself with steam.

If the use of the bottles "does not burn", then they can be left under a closed lid - so they will be sterile for another 4-5 hours. If you need to get one of the bottles, take only it, and close the rest of the clean bottles with lids. nine0003

Before putting the dishes into the sterilizer, make sure they are clean. The device removes germs and odor, but does not cope with pollution.

Read: Top 5 Best Convertible Strollers

Avoid Sterilization Mistakes: 4 Common

Many parents make basic mistakes that are best addressed in advance.

1. Unwashed or poorly washed utensils
Leftover food provokes the reproduction of microflora and can cause stomach problems in a child. And sterilization does not wash out food residues - only cleaning can do this. nine0003

2. Pot boiling
You can't boil! The maximum allowable temperature for children's utensils is 110 ° C. And often it is even less. Otherwise, the bottles may melt.

3. Installation in a steamer and microwave without water is contraindicated
The device will burn, and the dishes will melt.