Can you Wash Baby Bottles with Baby Shampoo?

Balint Horvath, PhD

Writer, parent, and veteran of baby feeding battles.

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Did you know there are various ways you can use baby shampoo other than washing your baby’s hair? But can you wash baby bottles with baby shampoo? That’s what you can find out in this post. 

Can you wash baby bottles with baby shampoo?

The question as to whether you can wash baby bottles with baby shampoos can be answered with a simple ‘Yes!’ The chemicals in baby shampoo are less harsh than those in your regular dishwashing soap, so it may in some cases be preferable. 

Key takeaways

  • Baby bottles and teats can be washed with baby shampoo
  • The color of the bottles and nipples won’t be affected by baby shampoo
  • The fewer the harsh chemicals in baby shampoo, the better

Why Would You Wash Baby Bottles with Baby Shampoo? 

Your baby bottle feels greasy or cloudy? You normally use dishwashing liquid to clean baby bottles but now you’ve run out. So, without it, you’re stuck as to how to clean them, apart from with really warm water. You’d like to use some form of soap, and then you have a bright idea. Why not use baby shampoo? After all, it is some form of soap. However, you’re just not sure if the soap residue that might be left in the bottle would be poisonous or harmful to your baby or not.

You’re not the first person to consider this option. A number of parents have tried this, and may even prefer it, depending on the type of shampoo. To answer this question, we’re going to delve a little deeper into baby shampoos and why you should consider using it over regular dish soap. 

There are a couple of reasons why you might opt for washing your baby bottles with baby shampoo. You’ve read that baby shampoo has fewer harmful chemicals than regular dishwashing liquid, so you’d prefer the less chemical option. 

Either way, you can be sure that it’s a safe choice because baby shampoos are created to be non-toxic if accidentally swallowed

The shampoo ingredients are mild for the baby, and can therefore be used on any baby utensils, especially if you rinse off the residue. You can therefore safely use it. 

Will Baby Shampoo Affect the Color of Baby Bottles and Nipples? 

The next question which concerns diligent parents is whether baby shampoo will change the color of baby bottles and nipples. The answer is that baby bottles and nipples change yellow over time, no matter the quality of the bottle or the detergent used to clean them. So, baby shampoo has little to no effect on this. It’s simply a matter of aging of these items. 

Which Baby Shampoo Brands are the Best To Wash Baby Bottles?

The baby shampoo brands that are the best to wash baby bottles are the ones that contain the fewest chemicals. You can look at baby shampoo brands such as Nunuki. There is quite a number that pediatricians prefer based on their mild formula which is good for your baby’s skin. Shampoos with mild ingredients will also be gentle on the materials the bottle is made from. 

You could try some of the following products to wash your baby bottles:

  • Mustella Cradlecap Foam Shampoo
  • Cerave Baby Shampoo
  • Johnson’s Calming Baby Shampoo

How to Wash Baby Bottles with Baby Shampoo 

Baby bottles may look clean, but if they aren’t thoroughly cleaned, they could harbor germs and viruses, which fester and can cause serious illness in your baby. That’s why it’s essential to learn how to clean your baby’s bottles thoroughly. 

Here is a short video to help you clean your baby’s bottles

Here is my guide on how to wash baby bottles with baby shampoo:

  • Rinse the baby bottle out under the tap
  • Use a basin that‘s only used to clean baby utensils
  • Fill it with very hot water
  • Place a drop of baby shampoo in the bottle
  • Scrub it with a bottle brush, inside and out
  • Rinse under cold water
  • Make sure you dry it on a rack. Don’t use cloths to dry the bottles, because the cloths may contain hidden germs. You may try to use special paper towels, though

Conclusion

Baby bottles must be cleaned regularly and thoroughly in order to keep your baby healthy. Although lemon dishwashing liquid is most often used, it’s perfectly acceptable to use baby shampoo. It’s both safe and effective

You can’t go wrong if you use baby shampoo, so feel free to use it to clean your baby bottles. Another great solution is using bleach to keep your baby bottles regularly clean or applying dish soap (Fairy Liquid).

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Author

I’m Balint, founder of this site and a father (and dad) to a baby-turned toddler. I found the world of babies so fascinating that I started a blog dedicated only to that topic. By the way, I studied physics, engineering (PhD, MSc), and therefore I do a thorough research when I write about something. Since it’s a blog, of course I also write about my personal experiences.

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