How to Clean Bottles With a Bottle Brush? | One Basin, One Brush, Dry Completely

A bottle brush is the right tool for the job, but the brush alone isn’t enough. The real mistakes happen before and after scrubbing — washing in the sink instead of a clean basin, and drying with a cloth towel that reintroduces germs. Getting the full routine right keeps every feeding safe.

Here’s what the CDC and other official guidance says about using a bottle brush for baby bottles, sippy cups, and reusable drinking bottles.

Disassemble Everything First

Bottle brush cleaning starts before the brush touches water. Take the bottle completely apart — separate the nipple or teat, collar or ring, cap, valve, gasket, insert, and any small parts. Milk residue hides in every crevice, so a partly assembled bottle will leave milk behind.

Wash your hands with soap and warm water before handling any of the pieces. This is the step people skip, and it matters because hands transfer germs directly to the parts you are about to clean.

Use a Dedicated Basin — Never the Sink

The CDC is specific about this: do not wash infant feeding items directly in the kitchen sink. Sinks harbor germs that a quick rinse won’t remove. Instead, use a clean basin or container that you reserve only for feeding items. Never use this basin for washing general dishes, pet bowls, or anything else.

The same rule applies to your bottle brush. Use a brush that is kept exclusively for bottle cleaning — not the one you use on your regular dishes. A dedicated bottle brush designed for infant feeding items is the right starting point, and the brush itself needs to be cleaned after every use.

Scrub Each Part With the Bottle Brush

Fill the basin with hot water and a small amount of dish soap. Scrub the inside of the bottle with a gentle back-and-forth motion, paying attention to the bottom and around the opening where residue builds up. For the nipple or teat, push water through the hole using the brush or by squeezing water through it to clear out any trapped milk. Scrub each small part separately — rings, caps, valves, and gaskets.

Rinse everything thoroughly under running water or in a second clean basin filled with fresh water. Soap residue left on the parts can irritate a baby’s mouth, so rinse until no suds remain.

After you finish washing, rinse the basin and the bottle brush well. Let them both air-dry. The CDC recommends washing the brush and basin every few days — either in a dishwasher with a heated-dry cycle if they are dishwasher-safe, or by hand with soap and warm water.

Air-Dry Completely — No Towels

This step matters more than most people think. Do not dry any part with a cloth towel, dish towel, or paper towel. Towels can reintroduce germs. Instead, place all cleaned parts on a clean drying rack or a fresh paper towel in a clean area. Let them air-dry completely, which usually takes a few hours depending on humidity and airflow. Only reassemble the bottle after every piece is fully dry. Storing wet parts creates a breeding ground for bacteria.

For bottles with straws, use a straw brush to clean the inside of the straw and the mouthpiece. For narrow-neck bottles, a smaller brush or a long, thin cleaning cloth may be needed to reach all the way into the bottom.

Sanitizing After Washing: When and How

For infant feeding items, the CDC recommends regular sanitizing, especially in the first few months. The two main methods are boiling and bleach-sanitizing:

• Boil method: Place disassembled items in a pot of boiling water for 5 minutes. Use clean tongs to remove them, then let them air-dry. Watch for burn risk — the water is extremely hot.
• Bleach-sanitizing method: Mix 2 teaspoons of unscented bleach into 1 gallon (16 cups) of cool water. Soak the parts for at least 2 minutes. Let them air-dry instead.

FamilyDoctor.org repeats the same 5-minute boil and the 2 teaspoons per gallon bleach-sanitizing guidance, and notes that steam sterilizers are also effective if you follow the appliance’s instructions. For bottles with a valve or gasket, make sure to remove those pieces before sanitizing so the liquid or steam reaches every surface.