Baby bottles, also known as feeding or nursing bottles, are those that are specially designed for kids to drink directly from. Today, there are several brands of baby bottles in the market. However, you must buy the right baby bottles. It would be best if you also made sure that the bottle is clean at all times. In this write-up, we discuss the must-know tips regarding cleaning baby bottles;
The first step is to collect all the necessary cleaning materials. Below are the tools you will need;
- Bottlebrush- this tool will help you reach the bottom and sides of the bottle. Secondly, it will also help to clean the rubber nipple. Failure to use these brushes could result in the accumulation of harmful bacteria inside the baby bottle.
- Liquid soap- a regular dishwashing soap would suffice when washing baby bottles. The reason is that it is very gentle and does not contain any toxic substances. Lastly, it also does not leave behind any soapy residues on the bottle.
- You will also need a bucket of clean water if you do not have running water in your sink.
The washing process
First, fill your sink with hot water. But before doing so, make sure the sink is clean. After that, use a sponge to scrub it down, especially the bottom and the sides. Proceed to rinse it then add the water. From there, you can now add liquid soap to the water. Check the temperature of the water to ensure that it is not too high that you cannot comfortably place your hand inside.
Once you have prepared the sink, you can proceed to take apart the parts of the bottle. You must clean the parts separately because it allows you to concentrate on parts that you would otherwise neglect. Note that the bottle should be rinsed after every use so that when it comes to cleaning, you don’t have to start with rinsing. Soak the bottle parts in the soapy water for a short while. This will allow the residue of baby’s drinks to dissolve appropriately, especially if the bottle was not used recently.
Use the bottle brush to clean the bottle and the brush separately. Use a sponge to wash the exterior parts of the bottle and the lid also. The outside of the nipple should also be washed using a sponge. From there, you can rinse the parts separately in running water. The water should also be mildly hot. Pay attention to the inside of the bottle and nipple to make sure that there is no soap residue.
Proceed to place the bottle, {while still dismantled}, on a drying rack. The rack should be placed in a well-ventilated area that will allow the bottles to dry thoroughly. Once the parts are dry, you can proceed to put them together. However, ensure that your hands are clean and sterilized before doing so.
Conclusion
Baby bottles do not need to be sterilized after each wash. Sterilization should only be done before the first use. However, if you are not using running water or if you have well water, you may need to sterilize after each wash.
