3. Prepare the bottle

Before using new bottles, sanitize them to get rid of as many germs as possible. All parts of the bottles, including the nipples, caps, and rings, need to be sanitized. Also, sanitize the tools you'll use to clean the bottles later, such as bottle brushes.

Sanitize the items as directed by the manufacturer and then let the items air-dry. Don't wipe with a towel. Sanitizing usually includes one of these methods:

• Use a dishwasher. Some dishwashers even have a sanitizing setting. With a dishwasher, you can combine cleaning and sanitizing.
• Boil the bottle and accessories in water for five minutes.
• Use a microwave steam sanitizer bag.
• Use a stand-alone electric steam sanitizer.

If you can't use any of these methods, you can make a bleach solution to get rid of germs. In a clean container, combine 1 gallon of water and 2 teaspoons of bleach. Make sure the bottle parts and other tools are completely covered by the solution. Soak for two minutes and then let the items air-dry.

After the first use, you usually don't need to sanitize bottles and their parts. But you do need to clean bottles and tools after every use. Wash these items with soap and hot water. Bottle brushes and nipple brushes can help you clean them well. You also can use a dishwasher to clean bottles.

You might continue sanitizing bottles daily if your baby:

• Is younger than 2 months.
• Was born prematurely.
• Has a weakened immune system.