How to clean and sanitize breast pump parts

Prepare a washing and drying space

Set up a clean area, washing supplies and a protected drying space. Identify the milk-contact pieces that need washing and the parts that must stay dry.

Before using a dishwasher, steamer or boiling water, confirm that the exact parts and method are permitted in your pump instructions. Follow the CDC washing routine below with those limits.

Sort the parts before washing

Wash the collection pieces

Separate the parts that touch the breast or milk, such as shields, valves and collection containers. Use the hand-washing steps below or a dishwasher method approved for those pieces.

Wipe the powered unit

Keep the motor or hub out of wash water, the dishwasher and the microwave. Wipe its exterior using the method permitted for that model.

Inspect the tubing

Inspect before washing. The tubing decision below helps you decide whether to dry, wipe or replace a tube.

CDC parts and tubing guidance; FDA powered-unit care. The Stride 2 example below shows why even two adjacent pieces can need different treatment.

The essential steps

Hand-washing route

1. Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before handling clean equipment.
2. Take apart the milk-contact kit as shown in its manual, then rinse away milk.
3. Wash with dish soap and warm water in a basin reserved for feeding equipment, not directly in the sink. Use a dedicated brush only if the manufacturer permits it.
4. Rinse thoroughly. Air-dry on a clean, unused towel or paper towel, protected from contamination. Do not rub or pat parts dry.
5. Rinse the basin and brush after use and let them air-dry. Wash them with soap by hand or in a permitted dishwasher at least every few days. Store equipment only when fully dry.

FDA washing and drying guidance; CDC basin instructions.

Dishwasher route, only for approved parts

Confirm that your parts and selected cycle are permitted. Wash your hands, disassemble the kit and rinse milk-contact parts. Use dishwasher detergent and put permitted small pieces in a closed-top basket or mesh bag.

A wash cycle alone is not sanitizing. A separate sanitizing step is unnecessary when the permitted dishwasher method uses hot water with heated drying or a sanitizing setting. Remove parts with clean hands and air-dry any remaining moisture before storage. CDC dishwasher guidance.

Keep the motor out of water. Wipes do not replace washing milk-contact parts before their next use. FDA cleaning guidance.

Soap and small parts

Use plain dishwashing soap for hand washing and dishwasher detergent for an approved dishwasher route. CDC advises against antibacterial soap. Rinse away soap residue.

Brush only the pieces your model permits: a brush can damage some valves or membranes. Do not force one into every opening. CDC soap and brush guidance.

Do you need to clean breast pump tubing?

Tubing that stays free of milk normally needs no routine washing. Check what is inside before deciding what to do.

Water droplets only

Dry the tubing using the method allowed for your pump. For example, Spectra says to hang tubing with condensation to dry and not to operate the pump with wet tubing. Do not copy another pump's drying procedure. Spectra condensation care; wet-tubing limit.

Milk or mold inside

Discard and replace the tubing immediately instead of trying to wash it out. Check whether worn valves or membranes, or an incorrect tubing connection, caused the problem before using the replacement. CDC tubing replacement guidance.

Dirt on the outside only

Wipe the exterior as your model permits. For Freestyle Hands-free, Medela allows a damp cloth on a dirty exterior and says not to wash or rinse inside the tubing. Freestyle Hands-free tubing care.

Keep tubing separate from the collection parts' washing and sanitizing batch. CDC explains the difference; your pump's tubing limits still apply.

How to sanitize breast pump parts

Clean first to remove milk residue, then choose a sanitizing method permitted for every part in the batch. These methods reduce germs; home care is not complete sterilization. FDA cleaning guidance.

Boiling, for boil-safe parts

Put the disassembled, cleaned items in a pot and cover them with water. Bring it to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Remove the items with clean tongs.

Steam, only where permitted

Use a microwave or plug-in steam system only if your exact parts allow that method. Follow the system's directions for water, timing and cooling; there is no single steam time for every device.

A qualifying dishwasher cycle

If your parts allow hot water with heated drying or a sanitizing setting, that dishwasher method removes the need for a separate sanitizing step. A permitted wash cycle without either does not. Dishwasher-safe does not automatically mean heated-drying-safe.

After treatment, let parts air-dry thoroughly in a protected area on a clean, unused towel or paper towel. Do not rub or pat them dry. Store only when fully dry. CDC sanitizing and drying steps.

How often should you sanitize?

CDC recommends sanitizing at least daily for extra protection, especially for babies under 2 months, babies born prematurely, or those with a weakened immune system. Older, healthy babies may not need a separate daily sanitizing step when parts are cleaned carefully after every use. CDC sanitizing frequency.

If an item cannot be sanitized

A ban on boiling does not make steaming or heated drying acceptable. Use another method only if it is permitted for that item.

For items that cannot be sanitized, clean thoroughly and regularly check for cracks, chips or wear; replace damaged pieces. If your baby's care plan calls for extra protection and no compatible method is clear, ask the manufacturer and care team how to complete that plan. CDC guidance for non-sanitizable items.

Plan for the next session

A spare compatible kit can help while one set dries. Check that it includes every required part, and pack used parts separately from clean equipment.

Refrigerating used parts is not an established substitute for washing after each use. For an infant with special health needs, follow your care team’s instructions.

Label and store the milk within the fresh or thawed milk limits.

Example: Elvie Stride 2 care plan

For Elvie Stride 2, the diaphragm and the cap above it go in different groups:

Wash

Cup fronts, breast shields, nipple inserts, valves and diaphragms with stoppers. Separate them, rinse and wash with mild dish soap and warm water, then rinse thoroughly.

Keep dry

Hub, caps, tubes, tube splitter, cover and clip. Keep these out of the washing and disinfecting batch; wipe them as directed.

Disinfect washable pieces

Elvie lists cold-water disinfection or boiling for five minutes. Do not use steam or microwave disinfection. These permissions apply to Stride 2’s washable pieces, not its dry components or another pump.

Before reassembly

Air-dry the washed pieces completely, especially the diaphragm and stopper, before fitting the cap and tubing.

Elvie’s Stride 2 care instructions. This example applies to that exact model. For a different kit, confirm its washable pieces and permitted methods; ask the manufacturer to resolve unclear or conflicting directions.