How to Clean and Sterilise Baby Feeders at Home

Feeders are used several times a day, so a simple cleaning routine saves time and keeps them in good condition for longer. This guide covers the everyday washing that every feeder needs, and how to approach sterilising. The exact sterilising method depends on your feeder's material, so for that step always follow the instructions on the box.

What you need

• A bottle brush long enough to reach the bottom of your tallest feeder.
• A nipple (teat) brush to clean inside the nipple, and a straw cleaner if you use straw feeders or sippers. Our 3-in-1 cleaning brush has all three.
• Washing-up liquid that is suitable for baby feeding items.
• A clean bowl or basin used only for feeders, so they are not washed with pots and pans.
• A clean drying rack or a clean towel set aside for feeders.

Washing after every feed, step by step

1. Rinse straight away. As soon as the feed is over, rinse the feeder and nipple with water. Milk is much easier to wash off before it dries.
2. Take everything apart. Unscrew the collar, remove the nipple, the cap, and any valve, straw or handle. Milk collects in the small parts.
3. Wash in warm, soapy water. Use the bottle brush inside the feeder, paying attention to the bottom and the shoulders where milk sticks.
4. Clean the nipple inside and out. Use the nipple brush, and squeeze some soapy water through the hole.
5. Clean straws and valves. Push the straw cleaner right through each straw.
6. Rinse well under running water until no soap is left.
7. Leave to air-dry on the rack, with the parts separate.

Sterilising: follow the maker's instructions

Many families also sterilise feeders, especially in the first months. The common home methods are boiling in a pan and using a steam steriliser. Glass, PPSU, plastic, silicone and steel each handle heat differently. So the safest rule is simple: follow the instructions on the box for how, how long and how often. If you have lost the box, message us on WhatsApp with the product name and ask.

A practical tip for load-shedding days: if you normally use an electric steriliser, check whether your feeder's box also allows boiling on the stove, so you have a second method ready.

If your doctor has given you advice on sterilising, follow that.

Checking nipples for wear and when to replace them

Nipples are soft and wear out sooner than the feeder itself. Each time you wash them, take a quick look and feel for:

• tears, cracks or small holes other than the feeding hole
• a sticky or swollen feel
• thinning, or a change in shape
• a feeding hole that looks bigger than before

If you see any of these, replace the nipple. Otherwise, replace nipples as often as the pack recommends. Keep a spare pack at home so you are never caught without one. Spare nipples must match the neck of your feeder; our Minitree nipples come in size S for small/regular-neck feeders and size L for wide-neck feeders (see which nipples fit).

Drying and storing feeders

• Let every part dry completely before you put the feeder back together.
• Store dry feeders in a clean, closed box or cupboard, away from dust.
• Do not dry feeders with a kitchen towel that is used for other things.
• Check the brush too: replace it when the bristles are bent or worn, because a worn brush cleans poorly.

Cleaning glass, PPSU and plastic

Glass can be scrubbed firmly. PPSU is tough but should still be cleaned with a soft brush rather than scouring pads. Plastic scratches most easily, so use only soft brushes and replace plastic feeders when they look scratched or cloudy. For silicone sleeves, slide the sleeve off and wash it and the glass separately, so water does not stay trapped between them.

Everything you need for cleaning is in our brushes and nipples range, and you can find replacement feeders in the feeders collection. We deliver across Pakistan with cash on delivery.