If you’re a parent, you know how challenging it can be to keep up with the cleaning of baby bottles.
The question of whether or not you can wash baby bottles in the dishwasher with other dishes is a common one.
While it may seem like a convenient solution, it’s important to consider the potential risks and benefits before doing so.
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Can you wash baby bottles in a dishwasher with other dishes?
You can wash your baby bottles with other dishes in the dishwasher as long as they are dishwasher-safe.
However, I would recommend that you wash your baby bottles, baby toys, and pacifiers alone in the dishwasher without loading any other dishes with them.
If you want to load other dishes into your dishwasher to wash with your baby bottles you just wouldn’t want to put in your baby bottles with dishes that are greasy and that are messy with a lot of food leftover on them.
But dishes that were properly rinsed off like glasses and plates that are not heavily soiled can be washed alongside the baby bottles in the dishwasher.
Even when we are handwashing baby bottles, we typically wash them alone without washing other dishes with them in a washing bowl.
The main reason why most people wash baby bottles and other baby feeding items alone is just simply to reduce the risk of spreading germs and bacteria from other dishes to your baby bottles and also to avoid staining or damaging the baby bottles.
However, this does not mean that you cannot wash your baby bottles alongside other dishes in the dishwasher.
we recommend it is more hygienic to wash baby bottles alone in a dishwasher without adding adult dishes especially if they are really dirty.
Other reasons why you should not wash baby bottles with other dishes in the dishwasher:
There are other reasons why we recommend that you do not wash your baby bottles with other dishes in the dishwasher and we shall list some of them below.
It can cause discoloration of baby bottles:
Putting your baby bottles especially the nipples into the dishwasher with other bowls and plates to wash together can seriously cause your baby bottle to become discolored.
This is common with dishes that have tomato sauce covered all over them as it can easily damage the look of your baby bottles.
You don’t want to have your baby bottles come out of the dishwasher looking orange.
so, it’s best to avoid this as you know buying new Avent baby bottles is quite expensive.
Wrong dishwasher detergent:
Certain dishwasher detergents will be okay for washing your normal plates and bowls in the dishwasher but may not be recommended for washing baby bottles.
This is another reason why you should wash your baby bottles alone with the recommended soap or detergent that is mild and suitable for washing baby bottles.
You can use a soap like dapple, it doesn’t have any chemicals in it, and it is perfectly safe for washing baby bottles.
It may not be adequate to use your regular detergent to wash baby bottles and dishes in the dishwasher.
However, there are dishwasher detergents that you can use to wash baby bottles and dishes together that are very effective.
Lesser germs and bacteria:
You want to limit the amount of germs and bacteria that your child is exposed to, as much as possible so that your baby doesn’t fall sick.
Normal dishes left in the kitchen sink can attract all sorts of bacteria and germs.
When these are loaded into the dishwasher with baby bottles even though the dishwasher can sanitize and kill most germs and bacteria it is still better to be safe than to be sorry.
This is the main reason why baby bottles are immediately washed after every use so that the exposure to germs and bacteria is limited and reduced for your child.
Tips for cleaning your baby bottles in a dishwasher:
1. You should wash your baby bottles as soon as possible to dramatically reduce germs and bacteria growth inside the baby bottles.
But if you can’t wash them soon enough for any reason you should at least rinse them thoroughly with water. If you have a dishwasher this can be done faster and more conveniently.
2. When washing baby bottles in the dishwasher you should only use the recommended dishwasher detergent for baby bottles.
Avoid dishwasher detergents that are chemical based but instead choose baby bottle washing detergents that are made with natural and mild ingredients.
3. Before you place your baby bottles and other feeding items into the dishwasher to wash you need to check if they are dishwasher safe and you should separate items that are not safe to wash in the dishwasher.
Most baby bottles are dishwasher safe, and they should be loaded on the top rack of the dishwasher away from the heat source inside the dishwasher machine to avoid extreme heat melting or damaging the baby bottles.
You should also secure the nipples of the baby bottles in a basket. Silicone nipples can get damaged or wear out more quickly when you wash them often in the dishwasher so take note of this.
It is recommended that you choose the longest washing cycle to get the best cleaning and sanitize your baby bottles.
4. You should always remember to clean your dishwasher machine at least once or twice a month depending on how often you use the dishwasher.
The most important thing with washing baby bottles and other baby items is to make sure that your child is germs and disease-free.
Cleaning the dishwasher itself when due is one good way of ensuring your baby’s feeding materials come out sparkling clean.
5. One final part that is important when washing your baby items in the dishwasher is that you should not use any rinse aid in the wash.
This is because rinse aid contains some chemicals that you don’t want on your baby’s items so make sure your rinse aid compartment is empty when using the dishwasher to wash your baby bottles.
Final thought:
While the dishwasher can effectively clean and sanitize baby bottles, it’s important to note that not all baby bottles are dishwasher safe.
Some may be made of materials that can warp or crack in the dishwasher, while others may have parts that can’t be fully cleaned in the dishwasher.
Additionally, washing baby bottles with other dishes may increase the risk of cross-contamination, particularly if the other dishes are not thoroughly cleaned or contain harmful chemicals.
