Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Cleaning and sterilising feeding equipment

It is very important that all equipment used for feeding and preparing feeds has been
thoroughly cleaned and sterilised before use.
  • Wash hands thoroughly before cleaning and sterilising feeding equipment.
  • Wash feeding and preparation equipment thoroughly in hot soapy water.
  • Bottle and teat brushes should be used to scrub inside and outside of bottles and teats to ensure that all remaining feed is removed.
  • After washing feeding equipment rinse it thoroughly under the tap.
  • If using a commercial steriliser, follow manufacturer’s instructions.
  • If your bottles are suitable for sterilising by boiling, fill a large pan with water and completely submerge all feeding equipment, ensuring there are no airbubbles trapped; cover the pan and boil for at least 10 minutes, making sure the pan does not boil dry. Keep the pan covered until equipment is needed.
  • Wash hands thoroughly and clean the surface around the steriliser before removing equipment.
  • It is best to remove the bottles just before they are used.
  • If the bottles are not being used immediately, they should be fully assembled with the teat and lid in place to prevent the inside of the sterilised bottle and the inside and outside of the teat from being contaminated.