How to Sterilize a Baby Bottle? | 3 Methods That Work

For newborns and young infants, the CDC recommends cleaning feeding items after every use and then sanitizing them — boiling, steam, or bleach all work. Here’s exactly how to do each method right.

Before You Sterilize: The Washing Step

Sterilizing only works on clean bottles. Skip the wash and you’re just heating up old milk. Disassemble every part — the bottle, nipple, ring, cap, and any valve or disc — and wash each in hot, soapy water. A dedicated bottle brush and teat brush reach the spots fingers can’t.

Rinse everything thoroughly afterward. If you’re using a sterilizing solution, the NHS says rinsing before sterilizing is required. Then move straight to one of the three methods below.

Method 1: Boiling (5 Minutes at a Rolling Boil)

Boiling is the simplest method and needs no special equipment beyond a pot you already own.

• Place all washed parts in a pot and cover them fully with water.
• Bring to a rolling boil and keep it there for 5 minutes.
• Remove parts with clean tongs — the water is scalding.
• Air-dry on a clean towel or drying rack.

Not every part is boil-safe. The NHS warns that some teats and bottle components can be damaged by heat, so check them regularly for cracks, stickiness, or wear and replace when needed. Wash your hands before handling the sterilized parts.

Method 2: Steam Sterilizers

Electric and microwave steam sterilizers are the most hands-off option. The NHS says to always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, since units differ. The general flow applies to most models.

Add water to the level the manual specifies, place disassembled items inside, and run the cycle. Leave the bottles in the sterilizer until you need them, or until the device cools per its instructions. Opening the lid early breaks the seal and exposes items to the air — and to whatever is floating in it. Most steam units keep contents sterile for a set window, but if items sit too long, some guidance says resterilize before use.

Bottle parts come out hot and wet. Assemble them on a clean surface or leave them in the unit until they’re needed.

Method 3: Bleach Solution (For Emergencies and Travel)

Bleach soaking matters most when you can’t boil or steam — during a boil-water advisory, camping, or a power outage. Texas Children’s uses a similar approach with a slightly different dilution, so stick with the CDC’s numbers.

Only unscented household bleach qualifies. Scented formulas add extra chemicals you don’t want near a baby’s mouth. Fully submerge every part and tilt nipples and bottles so no air bubbles hide inside.

Air-dry completely before use.

Skip the bleach method in normal day-to-day life — boiling and steam are cleaner and leave no chemical residue to worry about.

Whichever method you pick, the goal is the same: kill what soap misses. See our tested roundup of feeding bottle sterilizers if you’d rather let a machine handle the job consistently.

Sterilizing Facts Worth Knowing

When your baby starts putting everything in their mouth — spoons, teething toys, crusts of toast — the pressure to sterilize everything fades naturally. The CDC’s core advice holds: clean feeding items after each use, sterilize for the youngest infants, and always check parts for wear. If you’re assembling bottles on a clean surface and washing your hands first, you’re already ahead of most parents.