I seem to be going through them very quickly, because they keep getting black and yucky on the plastic rubber part. I throw them out and buy new ones but it's getting expensive. I've tried different brands and different types, but haven't found a really wonderful one yet. We don't have a dishwasher. Can i use some sort of bleach solution?? what do you use to get in there and dry it all out so the black stuff doesn't develop? Thanks
Hi Kristi,
I never had this problem when my kids were little back in the dark ages, but when I babysat I noticed the same problem with one of the girls I watched. I happen to save my mascara brushes and wash them off really good. They are perfect for getting in those tiny spaces and scrubbing. Good luck!
Try boiling the tops. My daughter's bottles tend to get yucky after a while so I try to boil them at least 1x/month. I know how annoying a toothpick can get...
I agree with Jennifer R. I have some Playtex brand sippy cups that are at least four years old and I have never had a problem with black gunk, and for the first two years I never washed them in the dishwasher. What worked best for me was to have three different color cups, one for water one for juice and one for milk, and I just tried to wash them as soon as empty if there was anything in them other than water. Hope this helps. Good luck.
I don't have this problem too often, more so when we lose a sippy cup and discover it days later. I've gotten in the habit of rinsing the sippy cup several times a day and storing it in the refrigerator between uses (I typically use 1 or 2 sippy cups a day for my son). To clean it, I run it through the dishwasher and if it doesn't come clean I throw away the valve and replace it. If necessary I clean the spout with a nipple brush before putting it in the dishwasher. Since you don't have a dishwasher you could try dish detergent with bleach in it. I think Dawn makes one. Perhaps boiling the spout/valve after you wash it might work. We've used pacifiers that have recommended boiling for 3-5 minutes to sterilize them. If you can find a package maybe there are cleaning instructions on it.
I think that we use the same brand cups as you, becasue I have this problem too. I even called their customer service and they said that they clean in a dishwasher. Well, like you, I don't have a dishwasher.
What I have found works well is OxyClean. I will put the cup, lid and plastic thingy in bowl of hot water with OxyClean and let them soak overnight. By morning they are clean. I still wash them witht he other dishes to get the OxyClean off.
Hope that helps!
I have the Advent sippy cups...when I need to clean the spout I use my bottle brush. It has a nipple cleaner the comes out (it's the Munchkin brand) and I just put a little soap on the end, clean it out and rinse well. I haven't had any issues of build-up so it must do the trick. I have found so many uses for that darn nipple cleaner that I should write a book!
boil valves and pieces of cup and clean with a small dental brush! works wonders
I use the disposable sippy cups. They come in packs of four cups and four lids. They can be washed multiple times, have easy spouts to clean, and best of all...can be recycled when they get gross. They are a cheap alternative, and if you loose one...no worries...they are disposable.
Hmmm...we never had this problem--what brands of sippy cup are you using? We used Playtex.
The valves in the Playtex cups are replaceable--I bought replacements at KMart for lost valves. I'd definitely reccommend rinsing cups out as soon as possible after use, even if you aren't going to give a full wash at that point--before juice or milk has a chance to dry on.
Good luck!
Have you tried the tiny part of the bottle brush. it is used to clean the nipples of bottles and works pretty well on sippy cups. I have the same problem. Also boil them for like 2 minutes after you clean them that surely will get the bacteria out.
I always bought the cheap soft top ones at walmart ($.99-$1.29 or so)The soft tops can be turned completely insideout to clean around the top part. I never had any black residue. They are disposable, and cheap so you can buy 4 or 5 of them for the price of one of the really good brands.
I boil mine once a week. If there is any residue left after that, I clean it out carefully with the nipple brush. Careful on Gerber valves though - I've ruined a few using the nipple brush. Even when using my dishwasher, I have used one brand of cup (Munchkin?) that develops the black residue anyhow and I end up throwing them away.
Soaking in bleach also helps - very diluted - 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Boil in clean water afterward and always air dry completely before storing!
Best of luck,
K. E.
I use Nuby brand with soft spouts. They are spill proof and don't have the extra valve. All I need to do to get all the dirt out is pinch the nipple on it a few times while running hot water over it. They are less than $2 at Walmart or Kmart, so if you do have to replace them, they don't cost too much.
