How to Clean & Sanitize Your Breast Pump

A mom can dream that maternity leave would be full of binging Netflix and browsing the mall with your cute new stroller – but the reality is it’s more like constant dirty diapers, piles of laundry, and pumping and sanitizing on repeat [at least for the first few months].

As a new parent, one task that is often overlooked is the constant sanitizing that comes along with cleaning your pump and pumping parts or cleaning bottles for babe. So, today we are sharing with you the details you'll need to effectively clean and sterilize your breast pump and pumping parts. We promise, once you get the hang of it, you'll be back to binge-watching instead of boiling during nap time.

Why Sanitize?

Sterilizing is that extra step to kill more germs on items that have been cleaned. The CDC website recommends sanitizing at least once a day. If you are pumping, that also includes your pump and pump parts. Anything that has come into contact with milk needs to be cleaned properly. So, after you’ve expressed, wash everything up so that you can grab your pump when required.

May we remind you – nothing is worse than waking with engorged breasts and having to clean your pump before you can get some relief.

Clean vs. Sanitize 

Always rinse your pump and parts after each use and between pumping sessions.

If you plan to pump numerous times a day, a quick rinse is okay between sessions BUT you will need to fully sterilize your pump and pump parts at least once a day to prevent germs and bacteria that can be harmful to a newborn.

Step 1: Rinse. Wash. Rinse.

You heard us – breast shields, membranes, valves, nipples, rings, caps, plus other odds & ends – give them all a rinse to remove any leftover milk.

1. Wash under running water.
2. Wash with soap.
3. Rinse off any bubbles one final time before moving on to boiling.

If you don’t have access to water and need to do a quick clean on the go, Medela has some awesome products like their quick clean spray and quick clean wipes that are a great tool to keep in your diaper bag.

Pro Tip: if you have a dishwasher, you can skip the rinse, wash, rinse steps and go straight to step #2 below for the sanitizing stage. You can put small parts in the cutlery holder and everything else should be fine on the top rack.

Step 2: Boil

“Hey, Google – set a timer for 5 min”

1. Place your pump parts in the water and boil.
2. Set a timer for 5 min BUT ensure that your pump parts and bottles are submerged under water the entire time.