Are you supposed to sterilize everything that goes in LO's mouth?

KScheibe12 · July 2012

I bought a gel teething ring for L and boiled it to kill the germs. Well, the thing melted into a goopy mess. The package didn't say anything about not boiling it, so I assumed it was ok. I also bought the V-tech crawl ball and the only thing L is really interested in right now is getting her mouth around it. I'm not really sure how I would sterilize something like that. I guess that ship has sailed since she's already had her mouth on it all weekend...

HisKonstantine · July 2012

I've never sterilized anything for Charlotte. I wash new things with soap and water before I give them to her, sometimes. At this point, it's a lost cause. She's crawling everywhere and putting all kinds of stuff in her mouth that's been on the floor and whatnot.

jvg6909 · July 2012

For anything that is cloth, cannot be submerged in water or cannot be boiled I just give them a good wipe down with those Dapple toy wipes or with the Dapple dish soap and a damp sponge/rag. I'm not too worried about it, I figure they are going to get more germs and things from the toys being on the floor and in the stroller or wherever else than anything.

KeyLime81 · July 2012

I remember feeling like such a good mom boiling pacifiers and bottle parts the day after Thanksgiving!

Things have changed. I really don't boil anything anymore. I run some stuff through the dishwasher (top rack), and other stuff I just wash by hand. LO is still healthy!

TiffJ21 · July 2012

I also used to sterilize all the pacis and bottles. Now I just make sure they're washed in warm water with soap, and honestly I don't wash his pacifiers that often anymore.

For new things I just use nursery wipes that are supposed to be safe for baby things. I quickly wipe it down and give it to him. I really don't worry too much about the toys and things though, like PP's said...there are germs everywhere, especially the floor/stroller where they are playing with the toys.

xraychick07 · July 2012

I just wipe them off with pacifier wipes!

MrsRucinski85 · July 2012

Yeah - I never have. Ill be honest, there might have even been some things that just got a rinse or nothing at all before its gone in her mouth

JammieJk · July 2012

I run stuff through the dishwasher on the top rack... his bottles and my pump parts, I wash those in hot, soapy water and then use the dome microwave sterilizer every night.

Greenbaby3114 · July 2012

I don't anymore. Hot water and soap is all I do. Cloth in the washing machine. I don't put anything in the dishwasher either. If its washable I just put it in the sink.

uncharch7 · July 2012

no, never have.

livinirie84 · July 2012

I've never sterilized pacifiers, bottles or pump parts. I've always just washed everything by hand with soap and hot water.

cookinitup · July 2012

I rinse stuff off when it gets gross. But I live by the "a pound of dirt before they're 12" rule....it's going to happen and germs can only make their system stronger.

dbob · July 2012

I don't do this, either. I did with bottles before I had him and with a couple things when he was a newborn, but just washing them off or wiping them with a wipe is enough for me.

kelsea1031 · July 2012

Greenbaby3114:
I don't anymore. Hot water and soap is all I do. Cloth in the washing machine. I don't put anything in the dishwasher either. If its washable I just put it in the sink.

This exactly!

queenenh · July 2012

I use the sterilizing wipes for electronic stuff and usually hot, soapy water for the other stuff. MY how things have changed! I remember when LO was new new I would sterilize EVERYTHING. LO is our first so I was a little crazy about the germ factor but more relaxed now. I still get crazy about shopping carts and tables out in public though. People stare at me like something is wrong when I do a whole wipedown of the cart...LOL:)

bendylim · July 2012

cookinitup:
I rinse stuff off when it gets gross. But I live by the "a pound of dirt before they're 12" rule....it's going to happen and germs can only make their system stronger.

This, especially with a 2 year old in the house too- it's impossible to keep up with keeping things clean. I will spray everything non-porous down with the Clorox Everywhere spray once in a while.

I did the same with DS and he has only been since a few times his entire 2 years, and this is with him going to daycare too.

brandywine2010 · July 2012

We don't have a dishwasher, so that's not an option for us. I still boil my pump parts every week or every other week. Sometimes I will just throw the pacis in with the pump parts.

We also have the Baby Bullet Turbo Steamer and it has a steam sterilize option, I have used it on her pacis a few times. I am a freak about sterilizing them after we've been out around a lot of people.

I keep paci wipes in the diaper bag at all times.

I give new toys a good wipe down and try to wipe all her toys down every other week or so. My favorite toys are ones that we can throw in the washer! Smile

guccikat · July 2012

Looks like I am minority here, I sterilize all bottles, paci, and pump parts everyday. I have melted some of DD's toys and teethers before too because I boiled them in a pot of boiling water.

Now for plastic toys that melt, I wash with dapple and water every other day, and her soft toys get hand washed in very very hot water. Her foam floor mat gets sterilized every other day as well.

Want a personalized experience?

Are you supposed to sterilize everything that goes in LO's mouth?

Re: Are you supposed to sterilize everything that goes in LO's mouth?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards