"Germ Guardian" or similar - godsend or waste of money?

joliemariée

My cousine says her germ guardian is her favorite baby item and it gets tons of great ratings on BRU, but my common sense tells me we all made it to adulthood without our moms blowing $50 on this. Basically you wash the bottles, breast pumps parts etc... and this machine then dries the items and makes them sterile. Thoughts?

Also, IF you don't have one how do you clean/dry your parts, pacis etc.. on a daily basis?

TIA!

melp723

I just retyrned my germ guardian today, actually. I got a microwave sanitizer from BRU that holds up to 10 bottles, nipples, and has a little shelf for pacis and other small things. It was 30bucks, I think. I like it because it fits more bottles than the germ guardian, and I didn't feel the need to have 2 items that did pretty much the same thing. Hope this helps!

joliemariée

thanks - I saw some cheaper ones at Target - maybe I will go with that instead~

ErinCB

Your dishwasher will sanitize your bottles just fine. In fact, check the settings on it. Mine has a sanitizing cycle (that I never really use, just the very first time I wash the bottles and paci's).

So, IMO, it would be a waste of $50. If you don't have a dishwasher, I'd think boiling them the first time would be the way to sanitize and then just regular washing after that is fine.

As for paci's, I probably don't wash mine enough with DS. I used to be better about it when he was smaller. But again, I just either toss in the basket in the dishwasher (I have a basket that sits in the top rack to hold bottle parts and such, got it at Target, I think by Munchkin) or wash them w/ soap and water.

atc282

I have the microwave sterilizer ($25 at BRU). I usually just wash out my bottles with a bottle brush (also at BRU or Target) with soap & hot water then let air dry on the drying rack (Especially for Baby racks are super cheap also at BRU). Every other day, I use the microwave sterilizer for the bottles. EZ!! All you do is put 7 oz. of water in it, stack in your bottles, then put in microwave for 4 minutes!!

As for pacis, nipples, bottle caps, pump parts, etc., I use the Medela brand Microwave Steam Sterilizer bags--again, so easy and quick! And they are very cheap and you use each bag 20 times! Just put 2 oz. water in bag with all your stuff that needs sterilized and put in mike for 3 min. You can get these at BRU or Target, too. 

Temp159135562506975

IMO- hot water and soap are all you need to clean things. Nothing is "sterile" if it's in open air - so unless you plan to use this thing right before using a bottle- with the bottle sitting out on a counter or in a cabinet- it is then not truly sterile.

unless i had a baby with immune system problems- i see no reason for an item like this. 

We have never steralized/boiled anything --- we just clean in very hot soapy water or in the dishwasher.

I"m a fan of there being germs in the house - to build the immune system. I think products like this play on the minds of moms who worry about germs - just to make a buck. But that's just me

groovygrl

So you have to wash everything anyway and then sanitize it? Ugh, maybe if a product actually washed them but to have to do both steps seems excessive to me. I only boiled bottles/parts before use the first time & I wash w/ hot water & soap & put in d/w when timing works out to put them in there. I wouldn't waste my $ personally. 

Sweets2005

I use the dishwasher or those sanitizing bags for the microwave,

joliemariée

Thanks Ladies!!!! I knew my common sense reaction was right - that my cousin is a little "overboard" on the germ thing! hahaha