Bottle hygiene and equipment sterilisation

Ways to sterilise equipment

• Cold water sterilisation

  Cold water sterilisation is when you use chemicals mixed with cold water to kill bacteria and germs. The chemicals can be added to water in a tablet or a concentrated liquid form. There are also ready-to-use sterilising solutions. This method can be used to sterilise lots of items at once.

  Items needed for cold water sterilisation:

  • • Sterilising chemicals (tablets, concentrated liquid)
    • Clean watertight container with well-fitting lid
    • Clean bottles and bottle-feeding equipment to sterilise
    • Floating cover, plunger or plate (your steriliser should come with a floating cover or plunger)

  Steps for cold water sterilisation:

  1. Make up the sterilising solution in a clean watertight container following the sterilising chemicals manufacturer's instructions.
  2. Put all the bottles and bottle-feeding equipment in the solution. Make sure they are completely underwater in the solution with no air bubbles. Some items may need to be held down to prevent them floating up. Use a floating cover, plunger or plate on top.
  3. Leave the items in the solution for the length of time stated in the manufacturer’s instructions. You can leave the items in for longer, but do not take them out before the time stated in the manufacturer’s instructions.
  4. Change the solution every 24 hours.
  5. With clean dry hands, remove the items from the solution immediately before use.
  6. Shake off any excess solution or rinse using cooled boiled water from the kettle. Do not use running tap water to rinse.

• Boiling sterilisation

  Boiling sterilisation is when you use boiling water (over 100°C) to kill bacteria and germs. The feeding equipment will be put underwater to boil away the bacteria and germs. This method of sterilisation is simple and does not require any specialist equipment. It can take longer than other methods and can damage teats faster than other methods. This method is good if you are only sterilising occasionally or very small amounts of equipment.

  Items needed for sterilising by boiling:

  • • Saucepan with lid
    • Water
    • Kitchen tongs (try not use them for anything other than sanitising. If you do, try to keep them as clean as possible)

  Steps for sterilising by boiling:

  1. Check the items you are sterilising can be boiled. You can find this in the feeding equipment manufacturer care instructions.
  2. Fill a saucepan with water.
  3. Bring the water to the boil.
  4. Use kitchen tongs to put the items into the water. Make sure they are completely underwater.
  5. Cover the saucepan and boil for 10 minutes. Set a timer so you do not forget to turn off the heat.
  6. Keep the items covered and remove them just before use.

  Do not leave hot pans and liquids unattended.

  Do not have your baby near the saucepan at any time.

• Steam sterilisation

  Steam sterilisation is when you use steam to kill the bacteria and germs. You can steam sterilise bottles and feeding equipment using a microwave steriliser or an electric steam steriliser. Both types of steam sterilisers will sterilise the feeding equipment in a similar amount of time.

  When using the steam steriliser, make sure the openings of bottles, teats and feeding equipment are facing down into the steriliser.

  It is important to closely follow steriliser manufacturer’s instruction and guidance.