need help with how to clean baby bottles

Jennifer - posted on 06/27/2010

Depends- if you are nursing use Medela steam bags to sterilize. I sterlized every bottle after I washed it each time I used it for the first 3 months or so, then I just washed them in the dishwasher- I would put it on the high heat setting. Make sure bottles are BPA free if you are sterilizing (in my opinion). My daughters doctor said you only need to sterilize before first use as long as they are washed though. Good luck with baby. BTW, you can use the nipple brush on the other end of your bottle brush to clean pacifiers while you are at home.

Sue - posted on 06/27/2010

you could try the pacifier for just bedtime/naptime, which cuts down on the amount of times it will go on the floor anyway. Also, see if your baby really needs one before you give them one, not all babies need them.

Kathy - posted on 06/27/2010

You don't have to boil the bottles the whole time they are using them for milk, my dr told me once they are on the floor playing & crawling you don't need to except the new stuff. I've NEVER boiled toys, and I've never put my baby's suckie in my mouth, thats strongly recommended against at least here because the bacteria in your mouth can hurt the baby's teeth when they come in

Richa - posted on 06/27/2010

If u can pls dont use pacifiers. Clean ur finger n offer him, mostly he will take his. U hv to boil his bottle as long as he is taking milk from bottle, but after 4-5 months, u need only to clean other toys etc. (not boil). If u continue giving him boiled stuff after 5 months he will not develop good immunity.

Kristi - posted on 06/27/2010

I mhave to agree with one of the previous mom's comment as i too must be a bad mom too. I never really sterilized anything except the brand new bottles and once for the "suckie" first use. If the suckie fell to the ground i popped it into my mouth depending on what it fell on , and gave it back. I do agree with having more than one or two on the go at any one given time especially when your out of the home. They did learn quickly not to drop them if they wanted to keep them . My kids are 21 and two 13 yr olds and they survived in a non-sterilized world. As far as i can see all of my kids are happy and healthy and suffered no effects from not having sterilized stuff. If we take all of the germs away how would they build up immunities against them. They would always be sick no way no fight it off..

Kathy - posted on 06/26/2010

we got the microwave sterilizer... wash them using a bottle brush, my favorite is one with a sponge on the end that gets in the bottom edge better, and a nipple brush in the handle. Hot soapy water, rinse then sterilize. You can also buy a rack to do them in the dishwasher, then you don't have to sterilize because the dishwasher does it for you. Same with pacifiers, they can go in the sterilizer as well, and some now come with a cover with a spot for water to sterilize them in the microwave on their own.

Terrian - posted on 06/26/2010

at target the have sterilizers! I was a college student and had a hectic life so these made sterilizing a breeze. you can use the sterilizer on several bottles and pacifiers at the same time. you dump 7 oz of water into the container and put it in the microwave for 2-3 mins! They are AMAZING. This is my suggestion!!!

Stephanie - posted on 06/26/2010

also, if you really want to sanitary you can buy pacifier wipe. Walmart, Target or babies R us has them. However, I just rinse it off with water.

Stephanie - posted on 06/26/2010

"Medela quick clean" It's amazing. I have a 4 month old and I use these bags. They steam/disinfects breastpump accessories, bottles, nipples, pacifiers, cups, bowls and spoons. If you have not used the item yet you can just throw it in with 3 oz of water. However, once you have used the item rinse it with warm soapy water, then rinse again with warm water and then steam. I do this once a week with everything my son puts in his mouth (toys included). You can use each bag 20 times. :)

Hayley - posted on 06/26/2010

if you are using formula milk, you need to sterilise the teats on the
bottles......washing alone doesn't cut it. Use a steriliser as per instruction or you can put the teats in boiling water (no soap) for 10 mins same with the pacifiers- this will kill the bugs that can grow from the milk or any bugs on the pacifiers. Yep breastfeeding is best but I wasn't able to, so thank the god for formula. Appreciate it going to be a younger baby you do this for - as they get older as silly as this sounds, they need bugs to build up an immune system. Whatever you decide is right, and enjoy this stage- doesn't last long!!!!!

Diane - posted on 06/25/2010

Breastfeeding is good but not for everyone. Bottles and nipples need to be washed in hot water and soap and then you can air dry them on a bottle dry8ing rack, Pacifiers can be washed the same way depending on type. READ directions that come with most of these things and ask your doctor or nurse. For the first one I boiled water and cleaned this way unitl my doctor told me that as soon as I took the bottles and nipples out of the water they collected germs from the air in the house. He told me about the hot soapy water and air drying. The pacifiers I used wipes when I wasn't near water but made sure they were the free type/ good luck

Elisabeth - posted on 06/25/2010

All the suggestions are great and you'll figure out what's right for you, but lets not forget the other alternative which is breastfeeding!! I breastfed my son till he was 2 and a half and didn't need to sterilise anything. He went straight from me to drinking from a cup. I know it's not for everyone, ( I couldn't breast-feed my daughter as she was a premie) but it was easier, cheaper, safer, more convenient, and a wonderful bonding experience, please don't rule it out.
Good luck with baby.

Emily - posted on 06/25/2010

The idea of sterilizing came about from the days when people used well water that was often contaminated. If you live in a place where the drinking water is safe, it's perfectly safe to simply handwash everything or just throw it in the dishwasher. You can wash pacifiers after your baby drops it, but eventually you'll end up washing it 50 times a day. ;) With the amount of stuff babies put in their mouths, I really don't think it's necessary to wash pacifiers every time they drop. A little bit of germs is good for them. Just my opinion.

Alyson - posted on 06/25/2010

boil them for first time use then dishwasher/or sterilizer

Corrine - posted on 06/24/2010

This is not to necessarily respond to how to clean/sterilize bottles but rather how to clean if something gets left in. If you do find that stray bottle with formula/milk/juice left in it, put a little bit of baking soda and very hot (not necessary to boil) water. Put nipple on and shake. Leave over night and rinse/wash in hot soapy water then air dry. Also, I found that the bottle/nipple brushes did not always get everything off. In this case, pour in a small amount of rice and hot water, shake vigorously and pour out. Wash as usual.

Danielle - posted on 06/24/2010

Everyone has their own way of doing it. Here's what I did until my son was 5 months old:

When I took the bottles, rings, lids, nipples and pacifiers out of the package I boiled them for 2 minutes. Then I turned the stove off and let them sit in the hot water until it cooled a bit. Then I drained them and placed them on a clean kitchen towel to dry.

As for day to day maintenance.

I rinsed bottles immediately after my son was finished with them. When it was time to wash all the bottles up they were already rinsed and ready to be washed. I'd wash everything in very hot soapy water and rinse everything well. I boiled the nipples, rings, and lids in a pot of boiling water for two minutes and then drain them in a colander. As for the actual bottles, I just boiled water in a kettle, lined all the bottles up in the sink and filled each one with boiling water. I figure the inside of the bottle is all that needs to be sterilized and whenever I tried to boil entire bottles in the pot I always ended up scalding myself.

Usually before bed I would boil the kettle and fill a jug with the water so that it would be room temperature the next day when I wanted to make formula. With the sterilized, room temperature water I would make enough formula to last 24 hours. I poured them into the sterilized bottles and lined them up in the fridge ready to go.

I found this whole "assembly line" way of doing things to be easier because all I had to do when my son needed a bottle was take one out of the fridge, warm it, and give it to him.

I made sure that his pacifiers were washed in soapy water, rinsed, and given a dunk in boiling water once a day too.

The health unit in my home town recommends sterilizing bottles until they are 4 months old, to prevent illness such as thrush. Just to be safe I did it until he was 5 months old. After that I just began using tap water (don't do this if you're on a well!) to mix formula and washed the bottles in hot soapy water.

I'm due to have my second baby in two months and to make my life a little easier we'll be using the Playtex Drop In bottles where you place a liner/bag in the bottle. The bags are pre-sterilized so it saves some work.

Hope this helps!

Sherri - posted on 06/24/2010

I must be a horrible mom I never sterilized a single item my kids ever used. I used hot soapy water and a bottle brush to clean. I used tap water to fill bottles, heated them in the microwave. Half the time I never even rinsed off a pacifier if it fell on the floor just stuck in my mouth and then there's. I know HORRIBLE.

Keri - posted on 06/24/2010

Hot soapy water. Or use a dishwasher. I never boiled anything for any of my children. I usually just wash new bottles, pacifiers, and sippy cups in hot soapy water or throw then in the dishwasher. You will need one of those baskets to put the nipples rings, pacifiers, caps and valves in. You will get sippy cups eventually.

Gwen - posted on 06/24/2010

I put them all in the dishwasher.

Nikki - posted on 06/23/2010

Bottles need to be sterilized when you first buy them, boil them

Buy a brush and wash everything in really warm soappy water and make sure you scrub them well

After 6 months your child will be crawling around eating everything off the floor, not that I am saying encourage this or give your child germs but dont let them live in a bubble either, they need to play in the dirt and build immunites so they can learn to fight them off, cleaning milk out is one thing, but having their paci hit the floor and getting a grain of dust is another

Claire - posted on 06/23/2010

Boil it or get the microwave steam bags from Medela. After a few months, you'll be comfortable just tossing them in the dishwasher.

Kathy - posted on 06/23/2010

I always just washed them in soapy warm water with a bottle and nipple brush. If you have a dishwasher-those work even better. As far as what to do if the pacie falls on the floor-rinse it off. By the way-always rinse out bottles-nothing is worse than finding the way-ward bottle with old formula or milk in it-ickkkkk!!!!

Rosie - posted on 06/23/2010

you boil the bottles and nipples on initial use. after that cleaning in hot soapy water, or in the dishwasher works great EVERY time.

i always boiled the pacifiers on initial use, and washed them every so often. i'm not to big on sterilizing the crap out of everything, they need a little bit of germs to learn to become immune to them. it's outdated advice to make you sterilize everytime, or even that you need to boil the water you put in the formula. here's a good link explaining things:http://babyparenting.about.com/od/nutrit...

Heather - posted on 06/23/2010

I sterilize using medela steam bags in the microwave. They don't take up extra room and you use them about 20 times each. The box contains 5 and is cheap.

Shannon - posted on 06/23/2010

read the packaging everything comes with, it'll tell you how to properly clean and sterilize everything. if you're getting hand-me-down bottles from a family member, make sure to buy new nipples, and check the bottles for any wear because they may be overused and be no good. i would suggest not using anyone else's pacifiers. good luck with the baby, and trust me, you'll figure it all out! :)

Jennifer - posted on 06/23/2010

It depends on what product you use whether to sterilize or not all the time - read the instructions! For example playtex nipples for drop-ins only get sterilized first time - do it to much then there is much quicker wear on the nipple. Always sterilize glass though (although don't think many people do glass anymore)

Deborah - posted on 06/23/2010

I just used milton tablets in a cold water steriliser.

The liquid was good for 24 hours, I found this easier than microwaving or boiling each time. When you've done wash it, rinse it, pop into liquid and leave until you need it again. Each morning I would feed her first bottle then empty it and refil with new tablet, put everything back in and off you go again.

You should look up all kinds of stelisiers and work out what you personally would prefer to use. You will be sterilising for about the first year so it has to work for you.

Erin - posted on 06/23/2010

The best bottle brush i have found is made by Luvs. It is shaped weird and has a handle that spins making it so much easier to clean the bottles.
For the pacifiers- Someone at my baby shower gave me a package of pacifier wipes. I would carry them in the diaper bag. Great for when you are on the go and the paci falls on the ground.

Lady - posted on 06/23/2010

All bottles and pacifires MUST be steralised after each use - wash with warm soppy water, rinse then put in either steralising solution, boil or use one of the steam steralisers - if you are going to use pacifiers have a few so that if one drops on the floor you can have another on on stand by. Good luck.

Louise - posted on 06/23/2010

Te easiest and quickest way is to buy a microwave steam steriliser. I bought one from ebay for about £5. Wash bottles, dummies, teething rings whatever in washing up liquid swill and place in steriliser. Takes about 5 minutes in the microwave and 2 minutes to stand. Bottles clean and ready to use. Easy! Good luck with the baby.

Michelle - posted on 06/23/2010

you get a bottle brush, scrub them then put them in a milton solution or get a microware cleaner system i hope that helps.

Jennifer - posted on 06/23/2010

You only boil them for first time use as the bottle or pacifier should tell you when you buy them. Only put ibn boiling water 5 min (however some things are only 3 min - should say on the item). But don't need any fancy equipment - just pot on stove. Eacj subsequent use you just clean with hotwater and soap. To get them cleaner you buy a brush (for ex Walmart has them in baby aisle); it is specifically designed for bottles. Hope it all goes well for you.