Caring For/Cleaning Your Breast Pump

ali10

Quick question, how do you all care for your pumps?...after pumping should I wash the breast pump with soap and water every time? Or should I rinse after every pumping and wash with soap and water weekly? I have heard both...I just want some more feedback before I begin! TIA

lindy27

You should wash it with soap and water at least every day and then you can sanatize weekly or monthly.

If you pump multiple times a day, but don't wash with soap/water, you should keep the parts in the fridge in a bag so they don't get moldy.

babyruth88

I used the medela pumpnstyle so i didnt wash the pump just the parts and yes after every use I did and tubing I just  sanitized every so often,

BuckeyeWife07

Are you talking about the parts or the actual pump? If you are talking about the part (breast shield, valve, etc.), then I either wash them every time with soap and water or, while at work, I put them in a gallon baggie in the fridge between pumping sessions. And then wash at night. I put mine in the dishwasher with the sanitize cycle, but that's all that I sanitize after my initial clean before fist use, unless I feel like they need more. 

easjer05

BuckeyeWife07:

Are you talking about the parts or the actual pump? If you are talking about the part (breast shield, valve, etc.), then I either wash them every time with soap and water or, while at work, I put them in a gallon baggie in the fridge between pumping sessions. And then wash at night. I put mine in the dishwasher with the sanitize cycle, but that's all that I sanitize after my initial clean before fist use, unless I feel like they need more. 

Ditto that question.  The pump itself doesn't get cleaned (other than a wipe down if I spill something on it).  The pump parts/accessories get cleaned daily; in between uses they go in the fridge or are wiped down with a Medela quick clean wipe.  Once home, they are washed in hot, soapy water and air dried.  About once a week they get sterilized in the dishwasher or a Medela steam bag.

ETA: My pump is a hospital grade pump, with a closed system.  The pump itself doesn't come into contact with milk, which is why it doesn't require cleaning.

claudiaudia

After pumping I rinse then use our steam cleaner on it. Before using it I also give it a quick steaming as well. We live in a house with four animals, so I don't ever trust that someone hasn't been touching it, but I will admit it's probably over kill. However, I always save the milk so I want to make sure things are clean-clean-clean.

Definitely rinse things out when you're done. Most components can also be put into the dish washer for cleaning as well.

Samiantha101

I live on a tropical island, so if I ddidn't wash it after every use, it would get attacked by ants. Yuck!

Katie829

I keep pump parts in the fridge throughout the day and then wash with hot soapy water at night. I sterilize 2x a month.

I do not do the tubing though. I have a PISA and it says to let the pump run with tubing hooked up but not attached to the bottles and let the suction get through the tubes.