Best Practices for Baby Bottle Sterilization

How to sterilize bottles: a guide to baby bottle hygiene

Ensuring your baby’s feeding items are clean and safe is an essential part of parenting, especially during the first few months of life. Parents have many choices, so it can become challenging to know what to buy and exactly how to clean items. This guide covers everything you need to know about how to sterilize bottles, the difference between sterilizing and cleaning baby bottles and best practices for maintaining bottle hygiene.

Understanding sterilization vs. cleaning vs. sanitizing

When it comes to baby bottles, it’s important to distinguish between sterilizing, sanitizing and cleaning:

• Sterilizing baby bottles: Sterilization kills all bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms. This step is especially useful for newborns, preemies or when clean water access is limited.
• Sanitizing baby bottles: Sanitization is a step above cleaning that reduces the number of bacteria to safe levels.
• Cleaning baby bottles: Cleaning involves using soap and hot water to remove dirt, milk residue and most germs from baby bottles and accessories. It’s a basic step done after each use.

Why sterilizing baby bottles matters

Newborns and infants have underdeveloped immune systems, making them more vulnerable to infections from bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi. Germs thrive in the warm, nutrient-rich environment of leftover milk or formula. They can grow quickly if breast milk or formula is added to a partially used bottle that hasn’t been cleaned well.

Sterilizing baby bottles provides an extra layer of protection to safeguard your baby’s health. When you first buy bottles, it’s important to sterilize them at least one time. Here’s how.

How to sterilize baby bottles: methods and tips

Boiling method

One of the most traditional methods for sterilizing baby bottles is boiling. Follow these steps:

1. Disassemble the bottles and accessories.
2. Place them in a large pot and cover with water.
3. Bring the water to a rolling boil and let the items boil for at least 5 minutes.
4. Remove with clean tongs and place on a clean drying rack.

Electric steam sterilizers

Electric steam sterilizers are convenient and easy to use. These devices:

• Use high temperatures and steam to kill germs.
• Require following the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Typically take less time than boiling.

Microwave sterilizers

Microwave sterilizers are quick and effective. Here’s how they work:

1. Add water to the sterilizer as directed.
2. Place the bottles inside and microwave for several minutes.
3. Allow the items to cool before handling.

Bleach solution (if no other options are available)

If you lack access to hot water or steam, you can also use a bleach solution:

1. Mix 1 teaspoon of unscented bleach with 16 cups of water.
2. Submerge the items for at least 2 minutes.
3. Remove with clean tongs and let air-dry completely.

Cleaning baby bottles and sterilization

After the first time, it’s no longer necessary to sterilize baby bottles and their accessories. Many years ago, when water supplies were not reliably clean, baby items required regular sterilization, but nowadays, this problem is thankfully not an issue for healthy babies. Washing baby bottles, nipples and caps in hot, soapy water immediately after feeding is all that’s required to remove most harmful germs from bottles. Make sure to remove all residue and rinse thoroughly. To dry, place items on a clean, unused dish towel or paper towel. Allow to air-dry thoroughly before storing. Don’t use a dish towel to dry items. Doing so may transfer germs.

However, sterilizing or sanitizing bottles and accessories remains an effective way to eliminate additional germs that regular cleaning may miss. It can provide extra protection, especially for newborns, premature babies or sick babies.

If bottles and nipples are labeled “dishwasher safe,” you’re also in luck — you can put them directly in the dishwasher, using heated water and a hot drying cycle to clean and sanitize them. Your dishwasher may even have a “sanitize” setting you can use, which can kill most germs and bacteria. Make sure to take bottles apart, and place bottles, nipples and caps on the top rack. Don’t forget to clean the bottle brush and wash basin, too.

It’s also important to always wash your hands before handling baby bottles or when feeding your baby.

Note: If your baby is less than 2 months old, was born prematurely or has a weakened immune system due to illness or medical treatment, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends sanitizing feeding items daily (or more often).

How to clean baby bottles while traveling

Traveling can make cleaning and sterilizing challenging, but it’s manageable with preparation. Consider these tips:

• Pack a portable sterilization system, such as a microwave sterilizer or electric steam sterilizer.
• If unavailable, boil bottles using a pot over a stovetop or heat source.
• Always wash your hands before handling baby bottles while traveling.