Sterilising baby bottles

All bottles should be sterilised and cleaned before use until your baby is one year old. This prevents any bad bacteria that may make your child sick.

Before sterilising, clean your bottles by washing in detergent and hot water, then rinsing well. Take apart the whole bottle, including the ring and teat (nipple), before you sterilise it. 

The National Health Medical Research Council of Australia’s Infant Feeding Guidelines recommend the following three methods for sterilising:

The boiling method

• Place all bottle parts, teats, and dummies in a large pot. 
• Cover with water.
• Make sure there are no air bubbles. 
• Bring water to boil.
• Boil for 5 minutes.
• Leave all the bottle parts in the pot to cool until safe to remove.
• Store equipment in a clean container with a lid.
• Place container in fridge.
• Repeat after each use.
• Boil every 24 hours, whether used or unused.

Safety alert: be careful to avoid any burns from hot water. . Keep children away from hot and boiling water.

The steam sterilisation method

Automatic electric steam sterilisers quickly raise temperatures to a level that kills bacteria.

1. Place clean bottles into the steriliser.
2. Add water (follow the steriliser’s instructions so you know how much).
3. Turn on.
4. Wait until sterilisation is complete.
5. Store equipment in a clean container with a lid.
6. Place container in fridge.
7. Repeat after each use.
8. Steam sterilise every 24 hours, whether used or unused.

The chemical sterilisation method

To clean your baby's bottles, you can use a solution with antibacterial chemicals. These solutions come in liquid or tablet forms. 

Use a container with a lid that is big enough to hold all the parts of the bottles.

 Make sure it is plastic or glass because metal can get damaged when it touches the cleaning solution.

1. Prepare solution according to the instructions.
2. Put the clean bottles completely into the solution. Make sure there are no air bubbles.
3. Leave equipment in solution for the time it says on the instructions.
4. Store equipment in a clean container with a lid.
5. Throw out solution after 24 hours.
6. Scrub container well in warm, soapy water before preparing new solution.

Tip: do not rinse bottles after they have been sterilised with the solution.

Safety alert: make sure the chemical solution and concentrate are stored where children cannot reach them.

Once your baby’s bottles are sterilised, you are ready to prepare the formula or expressed breast milk.

Find out more about the correct sterilisation and formula preparation