Bottle and Nipples with Lingering Soapy Scent

Updated on February 22, 2010
T.C. asks from Des Moines, IA
6 answers

everything I have read says to wash baby bottles in hot soapy water and rise well. However, when I do this it leaves a soapy smell on the nipples and my daughter refuses to put them in her mouth. Any suggestions on another way to clean and how to get rid of this scent?

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So What Happened?

I finally found a dish soap that doesn't leave my nipples smelling like soap. I just wanted to leave this information here in case anyone ever reads this in the future looking for some answers. Fifth Generation (sold at Target and our grocery store in the organic/health food isle) sells a "natural dish soap" that is truly Free and Clear. My daughter still smelled the Palmolive Free & Clear soap, but the Seventh Generation is totally unscented. Also, to get the soapy scent out of my bottles and nipples I scrubbed them and soaked them in a vinegar and baking soda solution.

More Answers

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P.M.

answers from Portland on

Smart girl, avoiding a smell like that. Unfortunate for you, though.

I'd skip the soap and use baking soda in hot water, which is a good cleaner for all sorts of applications, cuts through fats, and is inhospitable to germs. It should rinse out with no lingering smell, and may even remove the smell from the bottles you've washed in detergent.

You could also try soaking the smelly items in hot water with a generous addition of vinegar. This can neutralize some kinds of odors. But many plastics are famous for absorbing chemicals, smells and colors, so they may be a loss.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.

answers from Minneapolis on

There is a pure and clear type of handwashing dish soap on the market that does not leave any residue. It is recommended for breast feeding pump parts, but I am sure that it would work great in this situation as well. Look for it among all the other soaps. It is a clear soap, palmolive is the brand I think??

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B.E.

answers from Minneapolis on

Try a tablespoon of bleach in a full sink of hot water. Let them soak for a few mins and then rinse really well. That's always worked well for me :)

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J.B.

answers from Lafayette on

How are you rinsing them? I would make sure the rinse water was fresh so that previously rinsed soapy items hadn't put suds in the rinse water. Also push water through the nipples to make sure they are thoroughly rinsed. Maybe try a differnet brand of dish soap. The cheaper ones might not clean greasy things well, but for bottles might have enough strength without leaving a residue.

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N.K.

answers from Madison on

I would try using a scent-free detergent. I've hand-washed the baby bottles and nipples using the Totally Toddler brand detergent, following the directions on the bottle and never had any smell issues. I washed in hot water and rinsed with plenty of warm water.
Now my toddler is older and uses a variety of kitchen utensils, I wash everything with Palmolive pure and clear (no dyes, no scents).

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E.T.

answers from Rochester on

Try sanitizing them in the microwave. Medela sells sanitizing bags that are really easy to use. Put the bottles and nipples in the bag, add a couple ounces of water, microwave for just a couple of minutes. Each bag can be used 20 times.

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