Newborns are particularly vulnerable, with an immune system still in the development phase. For this reason, it is important that everything they put in their mouths is clean, sanitized and disinfected. Sterilizing pacifiers and bottles is therefore essential, but do you know how to do it correctly? In this article we want to clarify a few things.
How to Sterilize Pacifiers and Baby Bottles
Sterilizing pacifiers and baby bottles eliminates harmful microorganisms, significantly reducing the risk of gastrointestinal infections and other diseases. In hospitals, clinics and other public facilities, a device called a sterilizer is used, which uses the heat of steam to effectively eliminate microorganisms without the use of chemicals.
This is a modern, practical and safe method of keeping pacifiers and baby bottles free of harmful bacteria and germs, and today you can find many "domestic" sterilizers on the market, electric or microwave, to use conveniently at home.
These devices aren’t particularly prohibitively expensive, but they still require an electrical outlet to function, so when you’re out and about you need to have a plan B.
What if I don't have a sterilizer?
There are also other methods for sterilizing pacifiers and baby bottles.
Some people immerse pacifiers and teats in a saucepan with boiling water , leaving them to soak for a few minutes. The principle is similar to that of the sterilizer, therefore safe and natural, but definitely more "homely".
Some people use white vinegar , creating a 1:1 solution (1 part water and 1 part vinegar) in which to immerse the pacifiers for 30 minutes. Warning: it is important to rinse the objects well, once the sterilization process is finished, before giving them to the child, as the smell of vinegar may not be pleasant to him.
Remember, then, that vinegar - although a natural product - if poured down the drain risks polluting the water. We talked about it in this article.
And then there are those who use sodium bicarbonate , for pacifiers and even for vegetables. In reality, bicarbonate cleans but does not disinfect. There is no scientific evidence that demonstrates the disinfectant power of a solution created with water and NaHCO ₃ . So, in this case, we feel we can exclude this method from the possible natural alternatives for sterilizing the pacifier.
Cleaning and disinfecting are not the same thing.
How to sterilize your pacifier outside the home
If at home, in one way or another, we always have a solution, the "problem" arises when we are out. How to sterilize the pacifier that has fallen on the floor?
At the supermarket or pharmacy you can find disinfectant sprays that you can use on your hands or directly on objects to sterilize them. In reality, many are based on chemicals and the thought of putting them in a child's mouth could be scary, even though they are present in very small quantities.
So, what do we do?
We at Ecasan have created Ecasan Oggetti e Superfici , a safe, natural and effective multifunctional product that you can use to disinfect pacifiers, toys and other objects that children - especially the youngest ones - tend to put in their mouths.
The cleaning and sanitizing mechanism that is the basis of everything is hypochlorous acid , a molecule naturally present in our organism that we have managed to recreate using only pure ingredients such as water, salt and electricity. It is not based, therefore, on toxic or aggressive chemical elements, but on a green process that replicates the protection mechanisms from bacteria activated by our immune system.
Ecasan Oggetti e Superfici is non-toxic, does not require rinsing and does not leave harmful residues , so you can safely spray it on the pacifier, leave it to act for a few seconds and then return it to its rightful owner in complete safety.
The spray format makes it practical to use and carry with you, to use it when needed and in any situation, both at home and away.
Curious to know more? Go to the product sheet.
