" How to keep the soother hygienic "

Babies are still very sensitive and susceptible to germs, especially in the first few months of life. It is therefore obvious that all baby items require special hygiene. In particular, things that your child puts in their mouth need to be cleaned properly, but do you have to sterilize the dummy just because it has accidentally rolled onto the floor at home? How often should the pacifier be cleaned and how can it be stored hygienically at all times?

Always boil new pacifiers

Despite many different opinions, many parents still decide to offer their baby a soother to calm them down. It is extremely important and above all necessary to vaporize each soother in boiling water for about 5 minutes before first use. Contrary to many opinions, this is not just for disinfection, but also helps to thoroughly remove residues from production and any harmful substances that may have adhered.

How often should pacifiers be sterilized?

How thoroughly and how often you should clean the pacifier depends primarily on the age of your child. Babies in the first few months of life are naturally very susceptible to germs, as their immune system is not yet fully developed at this stage. It is therefore essential to clean the pacifier daily in the first six months of life - and it must not only be clean, but also truly sterile.

For many babies aged four to six months, the so-called "oral phase" already begins. Children increasingly explore their environment by touch, so it is inevitable that some things will end up in their mouth.

As this naturally strengthens the child's immune system, the frequent cleaning of the pacifier can gradually be reduced without hesitation. It is inevitable that the little ones will now automatically pick up some germs anyway, so that a completely germ-free soother is no longer absolutely necessary.

Sterilizing the dummy: how it works

There are various ways to sterilize the dummy and thus kill all bacteria:

Steam sterilization

So-called steam sterilizers or vaporizers are available in specialist shops, which you can use to clean the pacifier - quickly and easily. The devices use hot steam to completely kill all bacteria and germs. Depending on the appliance, sterilization with a steam sterilizer takes around ten to fifteen minutes.

Sterilizing in the microwave

In principle, the process is similar to steam sterilization, but the necessary temperature is generated inside the microwave. Microwave sterilizers are particularly handy and small, making them ideal for on the go. As a baby usually has more than one pacifier, so-called pacifier trees are also available, to which several pacifiers can be securely attached.

Which sterilization method do you prefer?

Boiling

Boil all pacifiers, teats, teething rings etc. in a pan of boiling water for at least 5 minutes. All parts must be well covered with water. Ideally, always use the same pot for this process and do not use it for boiling for hygienic reasons. After boiling, you can leave the pacifier to cool and dry on a clean cloth.

Sterilize with cold water

For this procedure you will need special tablets, a bottle of boiled water and a clean bowl. Fill the bowl with water and allow the tablet to dissolve completely. Now place the pacifier in the cleaning solution and make sure that all parts are covered with water. Then cover the bowl with a clean cloth. After about 30 minutes, you can remove the baby items from the liquid and rinse them thoroughly again.

Soothers during sterilization

What should be avoided when cleaning?

Never try to clean the pacifier in the dishwasher, as experts strongly advise against this. Firstly, the temperatures in the dishwasher are not high enough to kill all germs and secondly, most detergents are far too aggressive, which can quickly damage the material. In addition, you should definitely avoid putting the soother in your child's mouth yourself, as this can introduce harmful caries bacteria directly into your child's mouth.

Soother sterilized: What is the correct way to store it afterwards?

Once the teat has been sterilized, make sure that you store it in a hygienically clean place. Your little one will certainly not want to do without their pacifier when they are out and about and it is particularly important that a hygienic storage option is available.

Whether you're out shopping, walking in the park or visiting relatives - a pacifier bag is the ideal place for your child's favorite pacifier. As long as the pacifier is not in use, it simply waits in the pacifier bag for its next use and is well protected from dust and dirt.

Such a hygienic pacifier bag doesn't take up much space and can be used with a pacifier chaineasily attached to the changing bag or baby carriage. This means you always have the pacifier to hand for your little sunshine when it is once again irreplaceable for soothing.

Sterilizing the dummy is only possible to a limited extent: timely replacement is important

As the size of the pacifier keeps changing at the beginning, you will automatically replace the pacifier with a new one. But even with a small child, when the size of the soother is no longer constantly changing, it should be replaced regularly before potentially harmful substances can be released. Always keep an eye on the pacifier material. As soon as the first defects such as cracks or similar become visible, it is time to dispose of it.