4 Top ways to sterilise baby bottles

It goes without saying, your main priority is to keep your children safe and healthy. Sterilising your baby's bottles and accessories is one key way you can protect your little ones from harmful bacteria and germs.

Naturally, we recommend Minbie's Sterilisers, but it's important to remember that however you choose to sterilise your baby's bottles & teats, it's crucial you pick a way that won't degrade the material or damage it in any way. 

BE PREPARED WITH THE VERY BEST STERILISER TO KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE! CLICK HERE TO VIEW OUR STERILISERS & BUNDLES!

When you invest in Minbie to help you feed and care for your children, you are choosing award winning design, great quality, and peace of mind for your journey.

Why is sterilisation important?

Sterilising all bottles and teats is incredibly important in order to keep your baby safe from harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites and other pathogens that can make them sick. When a baby is born they're especially vulnerable. Their newly formed immune systems aren’t yet strong enough to fight off certain infections, so making sure all bottles and feeding equipment are properly sterilised is one way to help ensure baby doesn't become ill. For instance, a 12-month-old still only has 15-17% of an adult level of the IgA immunoglobulin, which is important for fighting the bacteria that causes gastroenteritis.

As your baby gets older, it can seem silly to be sterilising bottles and teats when everything else they get their hands on goes straight into their mouth! However, milk is particularly good at growing some of the nastiest pathogens so unsterilised bottles really do have the potential to make your baby much more sick than the dummy on the sofa.

Cleaning, disinfecting and sterilising are very different processes. Cleaning removes foreign particles like formula, milk and dirt whilst disinfecting destroys pathogenic (disease-causing) microorganisms and removes most organisms from the surface of an item. 

When should I sterilise baby bottles?

Baby bottles should be sterilised every time they’re used, ideally directly before they are filled with formula, expressed breast milk or any other liquid. You can, however, sterilise them a little in advance if required; the exact length of time depends on the sterilisation method.

Only sterilisation eliminates all forms of life including ‘transmissible agents’ such as spores.

 

What do I really need to sterilise?

All of your baby’s feeding equipment should be sterilised. This includes bottles and all their components such as collars, teats, lids, seals and any travel containers you use when you're out and about. If you express breast milk you also need to sterilise the components of your breast pump (follow the manufacturer's directions about which components need to be sterilised and for advice on how to carry out the process). Dummies should be sterilised too.

Sterilisation Methods:

Boiling

Boiling is the most basic method of sterilising using heat. To sterilise your baby bottles and teats by boiling them, follow these steps:

1. Check the manufacturers guidelines to make sure your bottles, teats and anything else you wish to sterilise are able to be boiled safely. 
2. Put all the items you need to sterilise into a large pot.
3. Fill the pot with water until everything is completely submerged. Make sure there aren’t any air bubbles inside any of the bottles or teats.
4. Bring the water to a rolling boil and boil for 10 minutes.
5. Leave the sterilised items in the pot until you’re ready to fill them or store them in a sterilised container in the fridge. When removing your bottles and teats, make sure the water has cooled enough that you won’t burn yourself.
6. Repeat this process if you don’t use your bottles and teats within 24 hours of boiling.

Pros

• This is the cheapest method of sterilisation.
• You do not need any special equipment to use this sterilisation method.

Cons

• Some teats tend to degrade faster with this method of sterilisation.
• This method is time consuming.
• You can't leave boiling water unattended whilst getting on with other things.
• There is a risk you may burn yourself or someone else using this method.
• You need lots of time & equipment for this method.

All Minbie products can be sterilised by boiling. 

Steam steriliser

The Minbie Steam Steriliser & Dryer makes sterilising baby bottles and teats very easy as it automates most of the process and uses natural steam to kill microorganisms.

To use the Minbie Steam Steriliser & Dryer, simply put up to 9 clean baby bottles, teats & accessories into the unit and add clean water according to the instructions. Then switch the unit on and leave it to do it's work. Our steriliser will automatically turn off when done & keeps bottles sterile for up to 24 hours saving you time and space. 

Pros

• This sterilisation method is very simple to use.
• This method is more effective than boiling or microwave sterilising as there is less room for human error.
• Sterilise many bottles at once saving time.
• This sterilisation method doesn’t cause bottles and teats to degrade as boiling does.
• Steam is 100% natural and this process uses no chemicals.
• Fast, easy sterilisation.
• Storage functions make life easier for busy mums.

Cons

• Steam Sterilisers occasionally need descaling.

This sterilisation method can be used on Minbie teats and bottles.

Microwave

Microwave sterilisation uses steam (heat) to sterilise baby bottles and teats. You’ll get the best results if you purchase a sterilisation unit that is designed to be used to sterilise baby bottles in a microwave.

To use these sterilisers, follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. Be especially careful that you use the correct power setting on your microwave. If you don’t, you may melt your baby bottles and teats. You should also ensure you position all bottles and teats with the openings facing downwards in the steriliser. If you’re not using the sterilised items immediately, you can store them in the sterilising unit provided you leave it sealed but consult the manufacturer’s instructions to determine how long you can do this for.

Never put your baby feeding equipment directly into the microwave to sterilise it; it won't effectively sterilise the bottles or teats and will likely damage them. You should also ensure you never microwave metal items inside a microwave steriliser.

Pros

• Sterilisation is accomplished quickly and easily using this method.
• Microwave steamers are usually fairly inexpensive.

Cons

• Not all baby feeding equipment can be microwaved.
• If you have lots of items to sterilise, it's safer to do them in small batches, which is time consuming.
• Failing to add enough water to the unit may cause the steriliser to melt or even catch fire.
• You need to be careful to avoid being burned when using this method.
• You may not always have access to a microwave, so you'll need a back up plan.
• Failure to take bottles apart before sterilisation causes a pressure build up which could be incredibly dangerous. 
• Microwave sterilisers can be bulky and messy to use.

This sterilisation method can be used on Minbie teats and bottles

UV Steriliser

UV sterilisation + drying kills pathogens and keeps them away. UV works by breaking down individual chemical bonds and the structure of a microorganism’s DNA, RNA, and proteins, halting its ability to multiply. When an organism is unable to multiply, it is considered dead. This technology has been proven to kill microorganisms even the eye can’t see, making the Minbie UV Steriliser a real ‘peace of mind appliance’.

To use the Minbie UV Steriliser & Dryer, simply put your clean baby bottles, teats, toys and even household items into the unit and choose your setting. You can sterilise, sterilise & dry or even store sterile for up to 3 days! **Wow! Simply switch the unit on and leave the light to do it's work. Easy!

Pros

• UV sterilisation is extremely simple to use. Pop things in, close the door and tap the button!
• UV is far more effective than boiling or microwave sterilising as there is little to no room for human error.
• UV light doesn’t cause bottles and teats to degrade.
• No water & no chemicals. 
• Fast, easy, effective sterilisation.
• The storage function is a huge time saver for busy families.
• You can use this unit to sterilise baby items and your own things too. Making certain your home and your family are germ free.

Cons

• The UV Steriliser is slightly bigger than other units so takes up a little room on the bench. (However it's got heaps of storage space inside)

Things to remember

Sterilising baby bottles and teats is only effective if every component of the bottle as well as everything that comes into contact with the bottle (your hands and any bottle lids or seals that might be used to mix formula) are clean. So, be sure to sterilise any utensils you use to make up formula and always wash your hands thoroughly before you touch sterilised bottles and teats.

You’ll find it easier to clean baby feeding equipment if you use hot, soapy water immediately after a feed and then rinse to remove soapy residue. For bottles and teats that are dishwasher safe, make sure you only wash them in the top rack of the dishwasher.

Always dispose of any bottles or teats that are cracked, chipped, torn or damaged in any way. This will help to prevent injuries and eliminate sneaky places that pathogens can hide.

If you have bottles or teats that contain BPA, it’s best to avoid sterilising with heat, especially using the boiling method (which exposes them to heat for the longest amount of time), as this may cause the potentially harmful BPA to leach more rapidly. All Minbie products are BPA-free.

Make sure you have the very best steriliser to keep your family safe! Click here to view our Sterilisers & Bundles!