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If you’re wondering how to clean baby bottles without making it a complicated daily chore, having a simple routine makes a big difference.
When I started combo feeding my son, I used Dr. Brown’s bottles and tried to keep up with washing and sanitizing them daily. I started out boiling everything, but eventually switched to a Baby Brezza Sterilizer and Dryer, which made the process so much easier.
Here’s how I cleaned our bottles, what worked for me, and a few things worth knowing about washing and sanitizing baby bottles.
How Do You Clean Baby Bottles?
Quick answer: Take bottles apart and wash every piece with soap and water after each feeding. Use a dedicated bottle brush to clean the bottle and smaller parts, rinse thoroughly, and let everything air-dry. Sanitize when recommended for your baby’s age or health needs.
My Simple Baby Bottle Cleaning Routine
I always tried to rinse bottles as soon as possible after a feeding.
Then I’d leave them on the counter until I had time to wash everything.
My goal was to wash and sanitize bottles every day, although sometimes I stretched my washing routine to the next day if I still had clean bottles available.
Looking back, I’d recommend washing bottles after each use, even if you’re doing a bigger sanitizing batch later.
The CDC’s infant feeding item cleaning guidance recommends cleaning feeding items after every use, rather than relying on rinsing alone.
Having enough clean bottles on hand made it easier to keep up with everything. If you’re still figuring out how many you’ll need, I shared what worked for us in my How Many Baby Bottles Do You Need? guide.
How I Washed My Dr. Brown’s Bottles
I used Dr. Brown’s bottles, which have six pieces altogether, including the bottle itself.
The vent system comes apart into two pieces, so there are a few extra parts to clean, but I didn’t find it particularly complicated.
I used a Haakaa bottle-cleaning brush for the bottles and the smaller cleaning brush that came with the Dr. Brown’s bottles for the narrow parts.
For thorough cleaning, the CDC recommends separating all bottle components and washing them with soap and water in a dedicated basin rather than directly in the sink. Rinse and allow everything to air-dry completely.
The small vent pieces are worth paying attention to because milk can collect in places that are easy to miss.
Boiling Baby Bottles vs. Using a Sterilizer
Before I bought a sterilizer, I sanitized bottles by boiling them, usually once a day.
It worked, but then I had to take everything out and leave the pieces to dry on a dish rack.
Eventually, I got the Baby Brezza Sterilizer and Dryer, and I was so glad I did.
It sanitized and dried the bottles in one cycle, which made the whole process much easier.
I still had to wash everything first, but I didn’t have to deal with boiling water and waiting for all the little pieces to dry afterward.
For me, that convenience was absolutely worth it.
Do You Need to Sterilize Baby Bottles Every Day?
Not necessarily for every baby.
The CDC recommends sanitizing feeding items at least daily for babies younger than 2 months, babies born prematurely, or babies with weakened immune systems.
For older, healthy babies, daily sanitizing may not be necessary when bottles are thoroughly cleaned after each use.
You can sanitize bottles by boiling them for five minutes, using an appropriate steam sterilizer according to its instructions, or following another CDC-approved sanitizing method.
A bottle sterilizer isn’t essential, but it can make the process more convenient, especially if you’re using bottles regularly.
If you’re putting together your feeding supplies, my Bottle Feeding Essentials guide covers the other things I found useful beyond bottles and cleaning supplies.
Final Thoughts on How To Clean Baby Bottles
My bottle-cleaning routine wasn’t always perfect, but I found a system that worked for us.
Having enough bottles, a good cleaning brush, and eventually a sterilizer and dryer made it much easier to keep up with everything.
You don’t need a complicated setup. Just a safe, consistent cleaning routine that works for your family.