There are so many things to think about when you bring your baby home from the hospital. Whether you’re breastfeeding or formula feeding, it’s likely at some point your child will be taking a bottle. Feeding your baby is challenging enough, without the added pressure of making sure you’re using a safe and effective soap to clean those bottles.
That’s why I’ve made it easy for you and compiled a list of the 11 best baby bottle dish soaps.
Why it’s great: This soap has passed multiple tests that prove that it is 50% more effective than other brands at getting rid of milk residue. It is also hypoallergenic and fragrance free, so you won’t have to worry about dry or irritated skin after handwashing. It’s also great for those who don’t like a strong, residual smell left on their dishes. It uses baking soda to fight odors left behind on bottles, sippy cups, breast pump accessories, or toys.
Keep in mind: This one produces a lot of bubbles, so a little goes a long way. You’ll have to do extra rinsing if you use too much at once.
Good for: Parents who want to make sure their child’s bottles are exceptionally clean.
Why it’s great: This is a plant-based dish soap that is vegan and eco-friendly. It is made with saponin, which works great against grease, milk residue, and odors from dirty bottles. Not only that, it is hypoallergenic and fragrance-free, so it’ll leave your skin feeling soft and clean after using it. It comes in a pump bottle, which is very convenient and easy to use. The clean and safe formula of this soap can be used for bottles, breast pump accessories, and your child’s toys.
Keep in mind: This soap is made specifically to break down milk residue, so it may not be the best for regular dishwashing.
Good for: Anyone who wants a vegan and eco-friendly soap.
Why it’s great: BabyGanics is a well known brand that makes all their products with natural ingredients and keeps them chemical free. This dish soap also is fragrance free and is a gently foaming soap, rather than the normal bubbles you’d get with other soaps. This makes it extra soft and moisturizing for your skin, while still giving your bottles a thorough cleaning. The pump bottle makes it easy to get just the right amount of soap for each use.
Keep in mind: This comes in a pack of two that is meant to refill the original pump bottle. You’ll need to purchase that separately.
Good for: Parents that go through a lot of bottle soap and want something affordable and effective.
Why it’s great: This is a regular dish soap that is plant based and all natural. It is fragrance free and non-toxic. Not only does it work great on regular dishes, it easily gets rid of milk residue leftover in bottles and breast pump accessories. With this dish soap, you don’t have to worry about buying something different and having two soaps around because it works effectively on everything. It is EPA and USDA certified as safe and bio-based.
Keep in mind: It is a little pricier than most baby bottle soaps, but it can work on all dishes and comes in bulk.
Good for: Parents that don’t want to have a separate soap just for baby accessories.
Why it’s great: This one gives you two different options for use. You can use the pump attachment, which makes it easier to use, or you can use the lid and have a squeezable bottle. The lid makes it much more convenient to take with you if you need to travel. It has all natural ingredients and is eco-friendly. Even the bottle is recyclable. The herbal formula gets your bottles and cups clean and doesn’t leave any residue behind.
Keep in mind: This one does have a light scent, but it’s not overpowering.
Good for: Parents that may need to travel and take their own bottle soap.
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Why it’s great: This bottle soap is vegan and derived from all natural ingredients. The products used in this soap are all sustainably sourced and it’s completely biodegradable. Even the bottle itself is recyclable, making this choice one of the most eco-friendly options. On top of that, it’s fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, and formulated with pro-vitamin B5 which is great for sensitive skin. It moisturizes your hands while you’re washing. This soap is strong enough to handle milk residue on bottles and breast pump accessories, while also being perfectly safe to use on your children’s toys and regular dishes as well.
Keep in mind: While this one can be used for all dishes, it’s a little pricey, so you may want to save it for your child’s bottles and accessories and purchase something a little cheaper for everything else.
Good for: Parents that have sensitive skin and need a soap that doesn’t dry it out.
Why it’s great: This soap comes in a pack of 6 and a little goes a long way. This means that one purchase should get you through 6 months to a year of bottle cleaning, depending on how much and how often you use it. It’s also U.S. EPA safer choice certified, made in the U.S., and it’s hypoallergenic. All the ingredients are sustainably sourced and plant based. Plus, this soap was specially formulated just for baby accessories, such as bottles, breast pump parts, and toys. It rinses easily and doesn’t leave any residue behind.
Keep in mind: Make sure to only use a small amount to avoid the need for extra long rinsing and overusing.
Good for: Parents that want to buy in bulk at an affordable price.
Why it’s great: This is another regular dish soap that also works great on bottles. It is specially formulated to be soft on skin and hands, to keep them from feeling dry and cracked. It easily cuts through grease and milk residue, without leaving any residue of its own behind. It rinses off quickly and efficiently and gets your dishes sparkling clean. It is made from all natural, plant-based ingredients and has a refreshing, citrus scent.
Keep in mind: The lemon scent can be pretty strong, so if you’re sensitive to smells, you may not like it.
Good for: Parents looking for an effective soap that is gentle on skin.
Why it’s great: This one comes in a 3 pack, so while it is pricier, you get more bang for your buck. It’s made with plant based ingredients and uses essential oils to create a calming, gentle fragrance. It is a biodegradable formula with no harsh chemicals and the label actually reports all ingredients. It effectively targets and removes germs and milk residue from bottles, nipples, and breast pump accessories.
Keep in mind: This one is supposed to have reduced foaming for easy rinsing, but that means there’s not a lot of suds, so you may need to use more than other brands.
Good for: Parents that like a nice, soothing scent to their soap.
Why it’s great: This dish soap is backed by a 100%, no questions asked, satisfaction guarantee. This means the company stands by their product, so you know it has to be good. It is plant-based, vegan, cruelty-free, non-toxic, and water lily scented. Plus, it uses emulsifiers from coconut oil to cut through grease and milk residue. It also has aloe vera to moisturize your skin while you’re busy washing dishes.
Keep in mind: This one is not fragrance-free, but the water lily scent is pretty light.
Good for: Parents that want a good dish soap that’s guaranteed to work.
Why it’s great: This dish soap has been featured on news stations, magazines, and talk shows, including the Pregnancy & Newborn magazine. It is made from plant-based ingredients and it is vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free, biodegradable, and hypoallergenic. This soap cuts through grease and milk residue easily. It also suds quickly and rinses clean, with no residue left behind. While Puracy is a regular, natural dish soap, it is completely safe to use on bottles, toys, and breast pump accessories.
Keep in mind: It has a great green tea and lime scent, but if you’re sensitive to smells, it may not be the right choice.
Good for: Parents that want a soap they can safely use for regular dishes and baby bottles, etc.
The DAPPLE Baby Bottle and Dish Liquid is our overall top recommendation. It's the highest quality product we have found with the most affordable price making it the best value on our list..
Regular dish soaps contain harsh chemicals and toxins that aren’t safe for your baby. They can leave trace amounts of these on the bottles that your baby could end up ingesting with their milk. Even regular dish soaps that are non-toxic and safer may not be the best choice for your baby’s accessories. This is because breastmilk and formula can leave behind milk fat that regular soaps can’t clean very well. Soap that’s specially formulated for baby bottles contain ingredients that help to get rid of this milk film.
Dish soaps generally contain a lot of ingredients that aren’t exactly healthy. These ingredients may help cut through grease, but they can also dry out your hands and leave chemical residues on your dishes. Natural dish soaps don’t contain these types of ingredients and are non-toxic and safe. They’re also usually sustainably sourced and biodegradable, making them better for the environment as well.
While you can use bottle soap on all your dishes if you’d like, it may not be strong enough to cut through grease and caked on foods that are on other dishes. This is why it may be better to get something stronger for your regular dishes. However, you can use some regular soaps on your baby bottles. You just need to make sure they’re natural and organic and don’t contain any harmful ingredients. Most natural brands will tell you if they work for milk film and are safe for bottles.
This really has to do with personal preference for the most part. If you are sensitive to smells or hate certain smells, fragrance-free may be the best choice. However, there are some things to know about the fragrances in dish soap. The main thing is that manufacturers don’t have to list the fragrance ingredients. This means that some of the ingredients may not be safe or something that you want in your soap. If you find a natural and/or organic soap that has some fragrance, you’re likely going to be safe with a little fragrance. But, it’s always best to find out where that fragrance is coming from if you can.
Sterilizing removes bacteria and viruses better than any soap can. But, you don’t really need to sterilize your bottles after every single cleaning. It is a good idea to do it at least once a week or more, depending on how often you use your bottles though. You certainly can sterilize after every use if you prefer. It may give you peace of mind to know that your baby’s bottles and breast pump accessories are as clean as you can get them.
There’s a lot to think about when you have a new baby. Making sure they’re safe and healthy is a full-time job. Bottle soap can help to keep your child’s bottles clean and sterile so that your baby doesn’t inadvertently pick up germs and get sick.
Finding the right bottle of soap for your family will depend on only a few things. As long as you’re making sure that you read the labels and that it is safe for your child, you really only need to think about whether you want something natural and organic or something that’s made stronger. Scents and textures are all personal preference.
Take the time to factor in these preferences ahead of time and you’ll feel more confident in your final purchase.
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