Why My Baby Bottles Smell Like Soap? Answered!

Being a mother means being entirely overwhelmed by love, joy, and immense responsibility. Motherhood means taking care of someone who is entirely dependent on you for survival. Hence, the number of duties that need to be fulfilled is countless. The earliest task you need to carry out is feeding the child properly, and baby bottles are the most popular way of doing so.

But for sure, these bottles are pretty hard to clean. If you do not clean them properly, harmful soap residues can build, making them smell like soap. Also, some breastfeeding moms can have excess lipase in their pumped milk, which gives off the soapy smell. In these cases, babies don’t like the taste and strongly refuse the bottle. 

Thus, to find the answer to this big problem: why my baby bottles smell like soap? We need to address all the factors that might cause it.

Why Do Baby Bottles Still Smell Like Soap After Washing?

Some of the more popular brands of bottles are made with plastic. As we all know, plastic is a very porous material. Plastics such as polypropylene can be permeable to gases and vapors with low molecular weight. It includes odors and flavors as well. Thus, the problem of it absorbing the soap you wash the bottles is very likely unless you take precautions.

Even though plastic baby bottles are prone to absorbing odors, there are also additional factors that may cause your bottles to hold onto the smell of soap more readily. Hence I will discuss these factors in detail below.

Using Too Much Soap Or Detergent

Cleaning baby bottles isn’t any different than cleaning the daily kitchen utensils. The goal is to remove any apparent traces of leftover milk or other liquids, but using too much soap or detergent may result in soap residues remaining in the bottle.

Due to the soap residue, the bottles smell like soap no matter how many times you clean them. These soap residues are most likely harmful and are not safe for babies. Soap residues can make your baby sick.

Insufficient Rinsing

If your newly cleaned baby bottles still smell like soap, there is a high chance that you might not be rinsing them properly. Even the slightest amount of lingering soap residue can make your baby bottles smell like soap. Hence, it is an absolute necessity to clean your baby bottles with more care and caution.

It would be best to take your time rinsing the bottles to ensure all the soap residues are washed away. Using less soap and increasing your wash time to clean the bottles thoroughly will reduce the soap smell and prevent excess soap usage.

You can also purchase a bottle brush or cleaning tool that can reach every part of your bottle, making cleaning way easier than before.

It is also essential to note that rinsing your baby bottles immediately after each feeding is exceptionally beneficial. It will prevent the build-up of milk residue, which may sour or grow bacteria. As a result, the earlier you wash the bottle, the less the milky odor will linger on it. It will reduce the need to over-wash the bottles as well!

Disassemble The Bottle Before Washing It

One of the biggest mistakes parents make is not to take the whole bottle apart. You need to take off every part of the bottle. Even the nipple along with the ring should be separated as these are the main places to find bacteria. Completely disassembling baby bottles will also help you to avoid hidden soap accumulation.

Don’t attempt to save up time by leaving the majority of the bottle; take those extra few seconds to take the bottle apart completely. Clean each part individually and with time.

As there are so many pieces to a baby bottle, there are many areas where not only milk and soap can get in, but also moisture from the air and the baby’s warmth can build up. Hence it is important to clean every bottle part individually.

Taking the baby bottles completely apart will prevent soap accumulation; hence no smell of soap in your bottles. Disassembling them also ensures proper cleaning. Proper cleaning will prevent the formation of bacteria in your baby’s bottle. So taking the bottle and getting all those nooks and crannies will most definitely eliminate the soapy smell.

Milk Residue

Apart from the reason for soap residues, there might be another reason for the smell of soap. It is not impossible to not even smell your soap at all! Some breast milk contains excessive lipase. It is an enzyme that breaks down fatty acid and might be the reason behind the soapy smell in your baby bottles.

But there’s nothing to worry about as breast milk containing a higher amount of lipase is still healthy for your baby to consume. But the soapy odor and taste might cause your baby to reject it. Also, breast milk containing more lipase produces a strong smell that baby bottles retain easily. Thus, milk residues might be another reason behind the soapy smell.

Damaged Bottles

All plastic bottles can hold onto odors, but the ability to hold onto odors increases if the bottle is damaged. Things will get stuck to them quickly if they are damaged. Damaged bottles cause more soap accumulation and hold on to soap residues like a magnet. Hence, checking your baby bottles for damage is essential if soapy smells are recurring.

Check your baby bottles often for ripped structure or scratches and chips every time you clean them, as they might indicate the reason behind the soapy smell. Also, if any damage is found, it is best to discard the bottle immediately as the collection of residues is harmful to your baby’s health.

You should not give bacteria and germs the ability to create a home in your precious baby’s bottle. Therefore, it is best to check the bottle once in a while for damage. Keeping baby bottles clean is the way to ensure the good health of your baby.

The Soap Is Not Suitable For Your Baby Bottles

Some soap contains heavy fragrances. Now some of you might fancy a heavily scented soap, but that might cause harm to your child. Baby bottles are already sensitive to scents, and on top of that, if you use fragrant soaps, the soapy smell might never go away!

Hence, it is always good to choose light, unscented soaps to wash your baby bottles. Gentle soaps will preserve the quality of the plastic bottles and will not be too harsh for them so that the material gets worn out.

Also, it will relieve you from the headache of washing them over and over again to get rid of the soapy smell. This tip saves both your time and energy.

Conclusion

Motherhood is an immense responsibility, and feeding a baby is by far the most challenging task. Ensuring your baby’s health highly depends on the cleanliness of the utensils you are using to feed the baby. Hence, ensuring that the baby bottles don’t smell soapy is essential in keeping your baby’s health in check.

This article will guide you through all the factors that you need to keep in your head if the baby bottles smell soapy. Hence reading this article will most definitely answer your question: why my baby bottles smell like soap? Thanks for stopping by!