Medela PIS How to clean tubes?

dixielane · May 2010

How do you properly clean the clear tube that goes from your breast/bottle, that connects to the pump? Or do I need to?

I've just started pumping some and I really have no idea what parts of the pump need to be cleaned each time and how.

Help!

ChristinaD09 · May 2010

You do not need to clean them, not even before the first time. It says that in the stuff that comes with the pump, and my LC told me that too. It comes with replacement ones if you need it (or my PISA did). And you can buy them cheap at Target. Like I guess if the milk got in there or something??

To clear the condensation out, you leave the pump running for awhile after you are done. Mine gets condensation pretty much everytime so I often leave it running.

I wash the parts with warm, soapy water. For awhile I didn't bother sterilizing them each time, but I've gotten in the habit of it now. I have a sterilizer though right next to my kitchen sink, and its nice because it dries the parts for me too. When I go to work I guess I'll use the sterilizer bags.

Borst-Plotz · May 2010

i only clean them when they get milk in them-i use medela steam bags to clean hem...however they are still cloudy/condensation in them so i'm interested to see what others do to!

dixielane · May 2010

Thanks.. So the parts that are on the bottle - like the suction thing, the little caps that twist on/off etc I can clean those, but dont need to clean the tubing lines unless milk gets in it?

I ran water thru them, so I guess ill hook them back up and let the pump run to get the condensation out now.

Anything else I should know about proper cleaning? My pump didnt come with any sort of manuel, unless I missed it somewhere..

ChristinaD09 · May 2010

I am curious how milk gets in the tubes. I haven't had that happen and I've been pumping since I came home from the hospital.

dixielane · May 2010

Me too.. It didnt happen with mine. I just thought it needed to be cleaned.

blissfully_caffeinated · May 2010

Ditto the PPs. You really don't need to clean the tubes unless milk gets in there. It happened to me once. I don't really know how. I just know that it was when I had just cleared a blocked duct. All of a sudden the milk went shooting out! Then milk somehow got into the tubes. I put a tiny dab of soap at one end and let water rub through it for a few minutes. Then I sterilized it. I whipped them around like a lasso a few times and hung them vertically to dry. Just before they were dry I put some alcohol in one end and whipped 'em around again. It was pretty ridiculous but very effective. The alcohol dries quickly and doesn't leave water spot so you should definitely end with that. GL!

lil_rhody · May 2010

Check the pockets of your bag for the manual. Mine was in one of the side pockets.

danalynnrd · May 2010

The only way milk gets into the tubing is if you tip the bottles while pumping. I had it happen a couple times when I was sick, and I was sneezing at the time with nearly full bottles. Otherwise it's just some water that can get into them from pumping when all the parts aren't completely dry. And for that you just let the pump run a bit longer, as pp said.

lite-bright · May 2010

If you do need to clean them (which is rare), you can use the Medela Quick Steam bags.

They have special directions on the side on how to sterilize the tubing; you have to do it separately from the rest of the pump parts, which can just go in one big batch.

I only usually do it if I notice water inside them; I rinse my parts after each pumping and don't disconnect the tubing, so sometimes a few drops of water get inside.

They do warn you on the steam bags, though, that using them for the tubing might cause cloudiness in the tubing or discoloration -- but that even if those things happen, it doesn't affect the performance of the tubing. My old ones got a little cloudy after I steamed them, but they worked just as well. I haven't steamed the new tubing.

bergs720 · May 2010

here is the where you can find the manual, mine didn't come with one either: https://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/instruction-manuals

you don't need to clean the tubes unless there is an overflow and milk gets in them. if there is condensation, leave it on for 2 mins to get it out after you are done pumping.

I wash all the parts (bottle, sheilds, connectors, etc-basically everything that unhooks from the tubing) after each use with warm soapy water. I also have some of the wipes for when I need to pump somewhere other than my house.

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