As if you didn’t already spend enough time doing dishes before your little one arrived, now you’re responsible for cleaning a seemingly endless collection of bottles, pump parts and other accessories. And since your infant hasn’t had time to fully develop a strong immunity to germs, knowing how to properly sterilize baby bottles, pump parts and other baby accessories so your baby stays healthy is a critical thing to add to your list.
Why You Should Sterilize Baby Bottles, Pump Parts and Other Accessories
When it comes to your baby’s health, especially in the earliest weeks of life, extra precautions go a long way. Sterilizing baby bottles, breast pump parts, and feeding accessories isn't just a box to check—it’s a vital step in protecting your infant from potentially harmful bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.
Infants Are Especially Vulnerable
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), babies under 2 months old, those born prematurely, or those with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk for infections. Their developing immune systems haven’t yet built the defenses needed to fight off the microorganisms that can linger on improperly cleaned feeding items. Even small amounts of leftover formula or breast milk can become a breeding ground for bacteria if not thoroughly removed and sterilized.
Cleaning Isn’t Always Enough
While washing bottles and parts with soap and hot water removes most dirt and residue, it doesn't guarantee the removal of all germs. Sterilizing—whether by boiling, steam, or a sanitizing dishwasher cycle—goes a step further by killing any lingering microorganisms that basic cleaning might miss. This is especially important for newborns, where even minor infections can escalate quickly.
Peace of Mind With Every Feed
Sterilization is a simple but powerful layer of protection in your baby care routine. Texas Children’s Hospital emphasizes that sterilizing ensures the complete elimination of microbes, offering reassurance that each bottle or pump session is as safe as possible. Especially during the early months, this habit can help prevent gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses that might otherwise be caused by exposure to bacteria-contaminated feeding items.
Should you Sterilize Baby Bottles after Every Use?
For Newborns (0–2 Months), Preemies, or Immunocompromised Infants: Yes
The CDC recommends daily sterilization of bottles, nipples, and breast pump parts if your baby:
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Is younger than 2 months
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Was born prematurely
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Has a weakened immune system
In these cases, sterilizing after every use (or at least once daily) provides an added layer of protection against infections during a highly vulnerable period. Germs can quickly grow in milk residue and warm environments, making thorough sterilization essential.
For Healthy Older Infants (3 Months and Up): No, Not Necessarily
Once your baby is past the newborn stage and in good health, you don’t need to sterilize after every use—as long as you:
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Thoroughly wash bottles and accessories in hot, soapy water
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Let them air-dry completely
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Use a dishwasher with a sanitizing cycle (if applicable)
Sterilization at this stage can be done periodically (e.g., once a week or when items fall on the floor, come into contact with unsanitary surfaces, or if you’re using them for the first time).
Special Cases Where More Frequent Sterilization Might Be Warranted
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After your baby has been sick
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If you're using well water or traveling where water quality is uncertain
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When sharing pump parts or bottles among multiple caregivers
How to Dry Bottles After Sterilizing
What many parents don't realize is how important your choice of drying bottles, pump parts and other accessories is after sterilizing. Many parents dry bottles on a baby bottle drying rack or with a hand towel. BUT, this method undermines sterilization because you're drying a sterilized item on or with something that's not sterile -- which means you're exposing the products you just sterilized to the very same germs that were just eliminated. Plus, baby bottle drying racks are breeding grounds for bacteria and germs because they are typically damp or wet. A far better way to dry bottles, pump parts and other baby accessories is with a sterilizer and dryer – these unique appliances automatically dry everything immediately after sterilizing and keep everything sterile for up to 24 hours. Baby Brezza is the #1 brand of sterilizer dryers.
Is it Okay to Dry Baby Bottles with Paper Towels?
While it might seem convenient, using paper towels to dry baby bottles and accessories can introduce new contaminants right after cleaning or sterilization. Paper towels can:
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Shed lint or fibers that stick to bottle interiors or nipples
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Contain microorganisms from manufacturing or handling
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Reintroduce bacteria if the towel is touched by unwashed hands or exposed to kitchen surfaces
This effectively defeats the purpose of cleaning or sterilizing, especially for newborns, preemies, or infants with weak immune systems.
Do Baby Bottles Have to be Completely Dry?
Baby bottles don’t have to be completely dry before use, but proper drying is important to prevent bacterial growth. A bit of clean water left after washing or sterilizing isn’t harmful on its own; however, moisture trapped inside assembled bottles, especially when stored with caps on, can create a humid environment that encourages the growth of bacteria or mold. This is particularly concerning for newborns, preemies, or babies with weakened immune systems.
To reduce this risk, bottles should be left disassembled and air-dried fully on a clean, dedicated drying rack in a well-ventilated space. While absolute dryness isn’t required before every use, storing bottles wet or in enclosed containers is not recommended. Letting them dry thoroughly ensures safer, more hygienic feeding, especially in your baby’s early months.
How Can I Make my Bottle Dry Faster?
The fastest way to make my baby bottle dry faster is by using a baby bottle sterilizer dryer. It is an electric bottle sanitizer with a built-in dryer like a hair dryer, which dries the bottles very quickly after sterilizing. For example, the Baby Brezza SuperFast Sterilizer Dryer dries up to 6 bottles in 5 minutes. Using an appliance is much faster than air drying, which can take several hours to completely dry a bottle. Plus, when a bottle is drying on a drying rack, it can pick up germs from a non-sterile drying rack or from the air. Bottles can be stored in the Sterilizer Dryer and remain sterile.
Why You Need an All-in-One, Automatic Sterilizer and Dryer
If you want the fastest, easiest and safest way to sterilize and dry baby bottles and pump parts, you should use a Sterilizer Dryer - a revolutionary appliance that automatically sterilizes and dries your baby’s products and keeps them sterile for 24 hours. Baby Brezza makes the best sterilizer dryers and offers different Sterilizer Dryers to fit your needs:
SuperFast Sterilizer Dryer: automatically sterilizes & dries in 10 minutes flat! It’s the fastest sterilizer dryer ever!
One Step Sterilizer Dryer Advanced: automatically sterilizes and dries 8 bottles, pump parts and accessories in as little as 30 minutes. It has the largest capacity of any sterilizer, dries 33% faster, and has a HEPA Filter so it dries with 95% germ-free air
One Step Sterilizer Dryer: automatically sterilizes and dries 6 bottles, pump parts and accessories in as little as 45 minutes
Baby Bottle Washer Pro: The first and only appliance that automatically washes, sterilizes, and dries baby bottles and pump parts—no scrubbing or rinsing needed. It washes with 20 high-pressure spray jets, then sterilizes with steam and dries with germ-free HEPA-filtered air, all in one cycle. Cleans up to 4 bottles and accessories in as little as 20 minutes—saving you up to 10 hours a month!
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