Why do I need to sterilise my baby's bottles?
During the first year of your baby's life, he's at his most vulnerable to germs and bacteria. That's why many health professionals advise to sterilise
What do I need to do first?
Before you sterilise, you'll need to clean the used bottles from any residues of milk or formula.
Rinse the bottles in warm water,
Soak them in a solution of water and Pigeon Liquid Cleanser and let the food grade ingredients 'eat' and dissolve all greasy residues and stubborn stains of milk.
Brush the bottles (if necessary)
Rinse the bottles and the teats thoroughly.
You can also use a dishwasher to wash your baby's bottles. You may want to wash the teats separately, though, to be sure they're totally clean. Check teats and bottles carefully and throw out any which are badly scratched, split or cracked. Bacteria can stay in damaged surfaces and survive the cleaning and sterilising process.
How do I sterilise my baby's equipment?
There are several methods you can use to sterilise your baby's feeding equipment.
Microwave and electric sterilising are the most popular.
However you can also choose more traditional methods, such as boiling and chemical sterilising.
Hospitals use the autoclave method (a big steam steriliser).
 

Electric steam sterilising
Electric steam sterilisers are quick and efficient, taking 8 to 12 minutes, plus cooling time.
They can keep bottles sterilised for up to six hours if you leave them in the airtight steriliser with the lid closed.
Many steam sterilisers can hold up to six bottles at a time, and have a rack for smaller items such as teats and dummies. At the top.
Make sure bottles, teats and other equipment are placed with their openings face down.

Microwaving
Many baby bottles can be sterilised in the microwave on their own. It takes just 90 seconds to sterilise a single bottle. The microwaves kill bacteria and germs.
Never put bottles with their screw caps and teats on - pressure could build up inside them during the heating process and they can get deformed or break.

You can also buy steamers for microwaves. This will add the power of microwaves to the heat of steam and sterilise your bottles in just a few minutes.
However always remember that you can't put any metallic utensil in the microwave.
Be careful when removing the lid of microwave steam sterilisers, as the inside can become very hot.
The items remain sterile for three hours if you keep the steriliser lid closed.

Dishwasher sterilising

You can sterilise your baby's bottles in the dishwasher, but you need to use a hot programme of 80 degrees C or more. You'll then need to fill the bottles with formula straight away. Bacteria can begin to form as soon as you take them out of the dishwasher.

Boiling

Another form of sterilising is boiling.
Fill a large pan with water and submerge all the feeding equipment completely. Make sure there are no trapped air bubbles inside the bottles and teats. Cover the pan with its lid and boil for at least 10 minutes.
Keep the pan's cover on until you need to use the equipment. Be aware teats get sticky and unusable more quickly from boiling, compared to other methods of sterilising.

Cold water sterilising

To cold water sterilise your baby's bottle-feeding equipment, you will need to use a solution of water and some form of chemical able to kill bacteria and germs. Usually these chemicals contain harmful components so any object that have been soaked in this sterilising solution needs to be rinsed thoroughly and abundantly.

You can buy special sterilising units or you just a clean bucket or plastic container with a lid.
If you use a bucket or container, use something, such as a heavy plate, to keep the bottles and other equipment completely under the solution. You need to check that there are no air bubbles left in the bottles, and keep everything submerged for at least 30 minutes to sterilise everything.

 
How long should I continue sterilizing nursing bottles and nipples?
Babies have little resistance to harmful micro organisms. Until your baby turns at least 3 or 4 months old, you must sterilize the nursing bottles and accessories. Even after that, you'll feel safer if you sterilize the bottles and accessories when your baby is not feeling well, during the rainy season, when mold is likely to grow, and during the hot summer months.
Should I sterilize nursing bottles and accessories after each use?
Yes. Breast milk and infant formula are full of rich nutrients, and are ideal breeding grounds for micro organisms. Be sure to sterilize bottles and accessories after each use. There's a tendency to get caught up in the routine of sterilizing bottles, but you should think of the process in terms of a single cycle — from washing to sterilizing to storage to preparation to feeding to washing. Wash the bottles clean, make sure that they're sterilized, and store them correctly afterward to avoid recontamination.
Should I sterilize everything my baby comes into contact with? Are there certain things I can't sterilize?
Until your baby is 3 or 4 months old, you should sterilize everything that goes into his or her mouth or that he or she can come into contact with. There are three methods for sterilizing: boiling, steam sterilizing in the microwave oven, or soaking in chemical sterilizing solutions, but not all methods are suitable for all products. The following products cannot be sterilized using certain methods. Before you try to sterilize a product, refer to the instructions on the package and confirm that you are using the proper method for that product.
Boiling: Unsuitable for products that cannot withstand heat of 100°C or higher.
Steam sterilizing in a microwave oven: (Use the special container for sterilizing). Unsuitable for products that cannot withstand heat of 100°C or higher. And products made of materials that are not microwave-safe (metal, wood, natural rubber, glass that is not heat resistant, and some plastics).
Chemical sterilizing solutions: Unsuitable for products with metal or wooden parts.
What are the methods of sterilizing various items?
There are three principal methods for sterilizing nursing bottles and accessories: boiling, steam sterilizing in the microwave oven, or soaking in chemical sterilizing solutions. Learn the pros and cons of each method before deciding which one is right for you. Using the microwave oven makes it easy to disinfect bottles and accessories. There are containers that let you disinfect several bottles at once, as well as space-saving bags.
When I use Liquid Cleanser for Nursing Bottles, do I apply it directly to the bottle?
As with other general household and kitchen detergents, you can apply it directly with a brush or sponge as well as soak items in it.
How long can I use Liquid Cleanser for Nursing Bottles after opening it?
Once you have opened this product, be sure to use it up within one year.
Is it all right not to sterilize items if I use Liquid Cleanser for Nursing Bottles?
Liquid Cleansers are used to remove milk stains or dirt that accumulates on baby items after usage. It does not sterilize the products. We recommend all baby items that come into contact with baby's mouth be washed with Liquid Cleansers and then sterilized by the conventional boiling or steaming.
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