How to Safely Clean Baby Bottles

 

Young children and infants are at an increased risk for food poisoning and it is therefore important that you learn the basics of keeping your babies bottles and utensils clean.

 

Illness-causing bacteria can survive in many places around your kitchen, including your hands, utensils and cutting boards and washing your hands thoroughly before handling your baby bottles and before feeding your baby is very important.

 

 

Both breast milk and prepared formula are susceptible to bacterial contamination if not handled properly, which is why sterilizing and cleaning can go a long way. Before the very first use, sterilizing baby bottles in boiling water for five minutes is recommended though it is not necessary to do this regularly. 

 

For daily cleaning of bottles and supplies you will only need soap, hot water and a baby bottle brush: 

 

• Fill sink with hot water and add dishwashing liquid.

• Add bottles, nipples, caps, rings, preparation utensils and other supplies.

• Pour hot, soapy water into bottles, and rotate a baby bottle brush inside until the bottle is clean. Wash away all soapy water under running water.

• Use a nipple brush to wash nipples and nipple holes. Squeeze the hot, soapy water through the nipple hole to flush out any trapped milk.

• Thoroughly rinse all utensils under running water to wash away all traces of soapy water.

 

Use sanitized tongs to remove bottles, nipples and other utensils and place them in the dish drainer to dry.

 

Even if you use disposable plastic bottle liners and ready-to-use formula, you still need to make sure the bottles and nipples are clean.