How to Clean Baby Bottles That Have a Milk Odor

Co-authored by Rebecca Nguyen, MA and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: December 13, 2023 Approved

Many parents have faced the problem of a baby bottle plagued with the sour smell of milk, no matter how much it is cleaned. Although the smell doesn’t have an effect on your baby’s health, the smell and sour taste can transfer to other liquids put in the bottle, creating an unpleasant drinking experience for your little one.^{[1]
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Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Method 1: Cleaning with Baking Soda

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^{[2]
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Expert Source

Rebecca Nguyen, MA
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant

Expert Interview. 10 June 2019.} Try to also remove any visible milk residue on the bottle by rinsing it out several times with warm water and detergent.
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Add a tablespoon of baking soda into the bottle. Then, fill the bottle up halfway with warm water.
- If you fill the bottle completely with water, it will be hard to shake up the contents in the bottle because there is no free space in the bottle.
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Shake it for about 2 minutes.
If the bottle no longer smells like sour milk, you have sufficiently cleaned the bottle.
Find a container that can fit the entire bottle. Then, pour baking soda into the container. For each cup of water, add a teaspoon of baking soda and mix well.
Fill the bottle with water from the container as well. Press the bottle parts, including the nipple, with a plate or some other heavier object so the bottle parts are submerged.
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Leave the bottle submerged overnight and then rinse it out in the morning. Smell the bottle to confirm the odor is gone.^{[3]
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- Let the bottle air dry before using it again.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Method 2: Removing the Odor with Vinegar

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Then, fill the bottle with the solution. You can also fill a container large enough to fit the bottle and all its parts with the solution.^{[4]
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You can do this by pressing the parts down with a heavy object like a plate.
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Let the bottle and its parts soak in the vinegar solution overnight. In the morning, rinse the bottle and all its parts with water and detergent.
- The smell of vinegar may be present for a few minutes, but it will quickly evaporate.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Method 3: Sterilizing the Bottle

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It should be marked with a “microwave safe” label.^{[5]
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Make sure you rinse out all the detergent.
Then, separate the bottle parts and put them in a microwave safe bowl.
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Fill the microwave safe bowl with enough water to cover all the bottle parts. Place the bottle and the bowl with the bottle parts in the microwave and turn it on for 90 seconds.
- Do not remove the bottle from the microwave until it cools to avoid burns.
Get a pan with a lid, large enough to fit the bottle and all its parts.^{[6]
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Fill the pan with water and place the bottle and all bottle parts in the water. Then, cover the pan with the lid.
- Boil them for 10 minutes.
- You do not have to remove the sterilized equipment from the hot water until you plan to use it. So, this way, the bottle will remain sterilized.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Method 4: Using Alternative Solutions

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Put the washed bottle in the freezer overnight. The cold temperatures will freeze the bacteria and remove the smell.
- For the best results, don’t put the bottle in another container or bag, but instead simply place it in the freezer.
Then, add water and wash the bottle. Rinse the bottle well with lukewarm water.^{[7]
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Remove the milk odor with toothpaste. Use a new toothbrush to do this or use a brush for washing bottles.
- Add a bit of toothpaste to the baby bottle and give the inside of the bottle a good rub with the brush.
- Rinse the bottle well with lukewarm water.
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Fill the bottle with one part vodka and four parts warm water. The alcohol from vodka will remove bad odors. Close the lid and allow the alcohol to sit in the bottle for 2-3 hours.^{[8]
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- Rinse the bottle really well to ensure no vodka remains in the bottle, as drinking alcohol can be detrimental to the health of your baby.
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Try cleaning the bottle with charcoal. This method requires a few days. Take active charcoal briquettes and crumble them into a small powder. Pour the charcoal into the bottle and fill the bottle with warm water. Close the lid and shake well.^{[9]
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- Leave the bottle to sit with the charcoal mixture for 3-4 days.
- Rinse the bottle with the warm water and detergent.

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Method 5: Preventing Odors

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Rinse your baby’s bottle after every feeding using warm water and mild detergent. Take a bottle brush and give the bottle a good rub on the inside and outside.^{[10]
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- Make sure you rinse the detergent residue from the bottle with warm running water until the water runs clear and there is no more detergent residue.
- Always choose a detergent with a mild odor so that in the process of rinsing and cleaning, the bottle does not absorb the detergent’s odor.
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Keep your baby’s bottles in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth. Bottles that sit out at room temperature can develop bacteria, especially if they are still damp after washing or if they are left unwashed.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Rebecca Nguyen, MA
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant

Expert Interview. 10 June 2019.} In the lower, colder temperatures of the refrigerator, bacteria in the bottle will grow much slower and much weaker.^{[12]
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- In fact, bacteria may be responsible for the bad smell in your baby’s bottle.
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Prepare the bottle just before your baby’s feeding time. This will prevent the milk from spoiling in the bottle.^{[13]
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- If your baby has not fed from the bottle yet, you can leave the bottle out at room temperature for up to two hours.^{[14]
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- Prepared formula can be left in the fridge for up to 24 hours.^{[15]
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  Research source} But ideally, you should prepare a fresh bottle for your little one every time they feed to prevent the development of harmful bacteria in the bottle.^{[16]
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However, you can keep any leftover breast milk in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Serve it to your baby for their next meal, but only once. If any breast milk remains when you feed your baby the second time, discard these leftovers.^{[17]
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Glass bottles will absorb fewer smells than plastic alternatives—if you are consistently finding a milk odor in your baby bottles, consider switching to glass bottles.^{[18]
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