When you're going through dozens of bottles each day while caring for your baby, it can be difficult to keep up with cleaning the parts after each use. Unfortunately, the bottles don't always get deep cleaned in the dishwasher and can begin to look dingy while developing odors over time. Sterilizing the bottle is critical to protecting your baby's health and preventing them from coming in contact with harmful bacteria as they drink formula or breastmilk.
A bottle sterilizer is an excellent investment that can offer peace of mind and also reduces the risk of infections by eliminating 99 percent of germs in minutes. Without proper washing, the bottles can become dirtier than dog bowls and kitchen sinks, with the bacteria transferring into your baby's mouth. There are a few facts to learn about bottle sterilizers to understand why they're worth using each day as you care for your baby.
How Do They Work
Bottle sterilizers use high-temperature steam to eliminate germs and bacteria that sit on the different parts of the bottle, including the nipple and caps. Not only do they clean small crevices and parts with steam, but they also deodorize and dry everything to ensure the bottles are ready to be used again. Their cleaning process effectively eradicates all types of odors and can make it more enjoyable for the baby to use the products.
The large size of many bottle sterilizers on the market allows you to place multiple bottles and parts in the device at once to efficiently clean everything instead of doing multiple cycles. Most bottle sterilizers come with different compartments to organize everything and ensure the parts are thoroughly cleaned. The bottles are typically stored in the main compartment, and the top compartment is where smaller parts are placed to prevent anything from stacking on top of each other. You can even place pacifiers with the nipples on the top compartment.
You'll need to fill the water reservoir with water in-between some of the uses to ensure there's enough steam released into the compartments. With a push of a button, you can turn the appliance on to ensure it's ready to be used. A second push of a button causes the unit to begin operating as the cleaning process begins. All bottles should be emptied of milk and quickly washed by hand with dish soap. Consider using a brush to clean out residue in small crevices in the different bottle parts to thoroughly clean everything before it's sanitized.
Best Bottle Sterilizers On the Market
The Baby Brezza One Step Sterilizer Dryer is one of the highest-rated bottle sterilizers in the industry and uses natural steam with a drying function included. It doesn't leave any leftover moisture in the parts, which prevents mold growth or bacteria from developing. It's even large enough to clean up to six baby bottles in each cycle.
The Dr. Brown's Electric Steam Sterilizer is roomy and can eliminate germs in 12 minutes. It's large enough to hold six bottles on the top tray and has compartments for pacifiers and nipples. It even comes with a pair of tongs, which you can use to retrieve items in the sterilizer when they're too hot to touch after they're cleaned. You can fill the reservoir with distilled water to prevent mineral deposits from accumulating should you choose to.
If you don't have a lot of space available on your countertops, the Tommee Tippee Steri-Steam Electric Steam Baby Bottle Sterilizer only takes five minutes to clean up to five bottles. It's easy to use and begins operating by pushing the main button. The compact size not only prevents it from taking up too much space but also makes it portable if you're traveling or want to move it to another room in the home. The unit holds a lot of small parts that you don't have to worry about putting in the dishwasher and losing.
Those who are looking for something easy to use that holds a lot of bottles can opt for the Munchkin Steam Microwave Sterilizer, which only requires using a microwave and doesn't require plugging it into an outlet. It's built with heat-resistant handles and can store up to four bottles.
