Baby-Safe Cleaning Products: How to Keep Your Baby Safe & Sanitised

When it comes to cleaning your home and your baby’s products, it’s important to remember that what may seem safe for us, could be unsafe for your little one.

A dishwashing liquid for example, could contain ingredients that are harmful if used to clean your baby’s bottles, however, works a treat on our drinking glasses. A disinfectant spray may kill bacteria like a boss, but could be harmful if it comes into contact with your baby's skin.

So how do you know what’s OK to use and what to avoid? *Cue magical music*

Look for naturally-derived, baby-safe ingredients

When choosing a cleaning product for you and your little one, the key things to look for are naturally-derived, baby-safe ingredients that are free from harmful chemicals and toxins. In addition to that, seeking out products that contain biodegradable ingredients means you’re not only looking after your family but the planet at the same time!

Pigeon’s Liquid Cleanser (Original & Yuzu) is a multi-purpose cleaning product which can be used to wash your baby’s bottles, teats, toys and even fruit and veggies! It effectively kills 99% of bacteria, is formulated with 100% food grade and naturally biodegradable ingredients; so it’s safe for your little one, and gentle on the planet. Plus, the baby-safe liquid cleanser smells great and is tough on milk residue and stains! 

Use a baby-safe laundry detergent

If you have a little one with sensitive skin, you should look for washing products that are formulated for babies, fragrance-free and dye-free.

Pigeon’s Baby Laundry Detergent is designed to wash away dirt, grime and everyday mishaps, without causing irritation to your baby’s skin. It’s anti-bacterial, paraben-free, dermatologically tested and safe for everyday use.

Brush up on hygiene 

Finding the right brush to clean your bottles and teats is a must. 

Things you’ll want to look for are easy to grip handles (you’ll most likely be trying to wash with one hand while holding bub in the other), bristles that can get into all the little hiding places and optional brush sizes.

Two magic wands that are essential for any homes that have baby bottles, are our 2 in 1 Bottle & Nipple Brush and Baby Bottle Sponge Brush. The 2 In 1 Bottle & Nipple Brush is long-lasting with proven efficacy for at least 10,000 strokes, whereas, the Baby Bottle Sponge Brush is a soft cleaning option that minimises scratching. Both bottle brushes will equally leave your bottles and teats clean and ready for sterlisation.

Wash your hands 

It’s pretty textbook these days, but still important to remember how easy it is to contaminate equipment just by touching it with unclean hands. So, just to be on the safe side, make sure you wash and dry your hands before you handle any sterilised bottles and teats. 

Our hand sanitiser range is the perfect for keeping yours, and your little ones hands clean if your busy or on-the-go. We have a hand sanitiser cream and spray that is suitable for babies, and a hand santisier gel for adults.

Sterilise, sterilise and did we mention sterilise?

Babies have immature immune systems, and aren’t strong enough to fight off a range of infections. 

Milk (unfortunately) is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria to grow if not handled correctly. This is why it’s important to sterilise all feeding equipment and keep the milk/formula cold until just before feeding your baby.

There are several ways to sterilise your baby bottles such as boiling, sterilising

Chemicals, UV sterilisation and steam sterilising.

Steam sterilising is an option many parents around the blog choose as it is an effective and easy option. 

The Pigeon Microwave Steam Steriliser provides a simple and easy way to effectively sterilise your baby’s bottles, teats and accessories. It fits most sizes of nursing bottles and accommodates up to 5 standard or wide neck Pigeon bottles. Just pop your products into the steriliser, put it in the microwave for 7 mins and it can maintain a sterile environment for up to 24hrs (given the lid hasn’t been opened).

At Pigeon, we have all your baby cleaning needs covered. Shop our baby-safe cleaning products.

For more helpful info on all things mum and bub, visit our blog hub page.

Ingredients to avoid

Unfortunately, most ingredients sound like chemicals, so knowing which ones are potentially harmful is tricky.

Here is a quick list of ingredients that are best to avoid where possible:

Artificial fragrances
Often contain phthalates, parabens, and other chemicals.

Synthetic preservatives
For example, methylisothiazolinone (MI), methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI), Benzisothiazolinone (BI) and Octylisothiazolinone (OIT). 

Triclosan
Often used as a disinfectant and/or preservative.

Dyes or colors
Can contain petrochemicals or harmful chemicals.

Ethanolamine compounds
Listed as Monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA) or triethanolamine (TEA); cheap surfactants. 

Glycol ethers
2-Methoxyethanol, 2-Ethoxyethanol, 2-Butoxyethanol - used as solvents in many cleaning products.

Chlorine and chlorine bleach
Very common in a variety of cleaners.

Ammonia and ammonia compounds
Common in glass cleaners, but also some dish soaps.

Formaldehyde
Still found in some cleaning products believe it or not, like laundry detergents and dish soaps.