Medela Pump Users

[Deleted User] · April 2014

Has anyone who is using a Medela pump had difficulties with mold? I wash the pump parts and bottles out after every use with hot water and antibacterial soap at work and I keep getting mold up in the neck of the flanges (not sure what you call it) and in the yellow parts. I've been taking the entire thing apart and brushing everything out with the small end of the bottle brush at least once a week. But, I came into work this morning and found more mold (and of course it was after I had already pumped). Am I doing something wrong? Should I be deconstructing the entire thing more than once a week. What do others do?

Stonerwedding · April 2014

After each use I soak all the parts in soapy water for 5 minutes. Haven't had an issue with mold. Previously I was boiling the parts but that just took up too much time.

jennifertewart · April 2014

I take apart all the parts and wash with dish soap after every use and then air dry on that grass/flower drying rack. This has been working for me so far.

vvvvvfee · April 2014

i would suggest running them through the dishwasher. or you might want to boil everything for 5 minutes to make sure you kill everything as a one-time thing, and then use the dishwasher.

i never washed my pump parts between uses during the day, i just kept them in a hard-sided cooler with an ice pack. but i did wash them in the dishwasher at the end of each day. i hand-washed the membranes, but i ran the flanges and the yellow piece (and of course the bottles) through the dishwasher.

[Deleted User] · April 2014

It definitely sounds like it's time to send everything through the dishwasher and boil the parts again. I have to stop this cycle of mold. Gross. Good thing my kid hasn't been sick.

[Deleted User] · April 2014

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Asivec · April 2014

Medela steam bags and the breastmilk soap. Worked extremely well and I didn't have to run a half empty dishwasher load.

Valancyy · April 2014

Are you making sure everything is completely dry before you reassemble?

[Deleted User] · April 2014

Valancyy said:

Are you making sure everything is completely dry before you reassemble?

Definitely when I wash at home in the dishwasher. Probably not at work because I use it so frequently during the day.

Valancyy · April 2014

anr02 said:

Valancyy said:

Are you making sure everything is completely dry before you reassemble?

Definitely when I wash at home in the dishwasher. Probably not at work because I use it so frequently during the day.

That may be it. Back with my first when I was pumping A LOT, I had that issue. I don't think there was time for the lids to the bottles to dry all the way between uses, and I noticed some mildew/mold in the rims. I did what you did, scrub them out with a brush and boil them. I ended up buying some more parts, so I'd have more in rotation and give them a chance to dry thoroughly between uses. That stopped the problem.

LindseyH033 · April 2014

Asivec said:

Medela steam bags and the breastmilk soap. Worked extremely well and I didn't have to run a half empty dishwasher load.

This. I was noticing small amounts of mold on the inside of the valves. I would clean them with dish soap and the end of the bottle brush, which helped a little, but the mold always seemed to return. As soon as I started using the medela breastmilk soap I never had another mold issue. The soap is highly concentrated so I usually put one small squirt in a large bowl with warm water and soak the pump parts for 5 minutes. Then rinse with warm water. Haven't had a problem since.

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