If your kitchen counter currently holds a pile of milky bottles and an Instant Pot you usually reserve for chilli, you are not alone.
Learning how to sterilise baby bottles is one of those newborn jobs that sounds simple until you are standing over a hob wondering whether the vent bits actually got clean.
The good news: you have options. Boiling, steam bags, electric sterilisers, and yes, how to sterilise baby bottles with an Instant Pot, can all play a role.
Some families also use an automatic bottle washer for everyday wash-sterilise-dry cycles, and reserve the Instant Pot for batch sterilising or when the sink pile wins.
This guide walks through safe sterilising methods, how Instant Pot steam mode fits in, and when a dedicated machine might save your sanity.
Always follow your bottle brand’s instructions and ask your health visitor or GP if your baby was born prematurely or has a weakened immune system.
Jump to:
- Clean First, Sterilise Second
- When Do You Need to Sterilise Baby Bottles?
- How to Sterilise Baby Bottles by Boiling
- How to Sterilise Baby Bottles With an Instant Pot
- How to Use Sterilize Mode on Instant Pot?
- Can I Sterilize Jars in an Instant Pot, and If So, How?
- Can I Sterilize Anything Using a Pressure Cooker?
- What Is the Fastest Way to Sterilize Baby Bottles?
- Instant Pot vs a Dedicated Bottle Washer
- What Automatic Bottle Washers Do
- FAQ'S
- Storing Sterilised Bottles
Clean First, Sterilise Second
Sterilising is not a shortcut around washing. Milk residue must come off first with hot, soapy water and a bottle brush—every thread, vent hole, and nipple ring.
Think of it in two steps:
- Clean: removes milk and formula
- Sterilise: kills most remaining germs after the wash
Wash your hands before handling clean equipment. Disassemble bottles fully before either step.
When Do You Need to Sterilise Baby Bottles?
Many UK families sterilise daily during the early months, especially for newborns. NHS guidance emphasises thorough cleaning; sterilising adds extra protection while your baby’s immune system is still developing.
Your health visitor may recommend sterilising daily for longer if your baby was premature or unwell, or if you use well water.
As your baby grows and bottles are used constantly, thorough washing after every feed often becomes the main focus—with sterilising still useful, especially for young infants.
How to Sterilise Baby Bottles by Boiling
The classic hob method still works in any kitchen:
- Wash and rinse all parts.
- Submerge disassembled pieces in a large pan of water.
- Bring to a rolling boil for at least five minutes.
- Remove with clean tongs and air-dry on a clean rack.
Check that your bottles and nipples are boil-safe. Replace anything cracked, cloudy, or sticky; sterilising cannot fix worn silicone.
How to Sterilise Baby Bottles With an Instant Pot
If you already love your Instant Pot for family meals, it can double as a steam steriliser for bottle parts, provided your model has a steam or sterilise function, and your gear is rated for high heat.
What you need
- Instant Pot with Steam, Sterilise, or equivalent programme (check your manual—models vary)
- Heat-safe trivet or steamer basket inside the pot
- Disassembled, pre-washed bottle parts
- Minimal water in the base (usually about 250 ml / 1 cup—follow manufacturer guidance)
Basic steps
- Wash bottles, nipples, collars, and vent pieces in hot soapy water; rinse well.
- Place the trivet in the inner pot and add the recommended amount of water.
- Arrange parts on the trivet so steam can circulate—avoid stacking tightly.
- Close the lid, set the valve to Sealing if required, and select Steam or Sterilise.
- Run the cycle per your model (often 1–5 minutes under pressure, then natural or quick release, as the manual advises).
- Open carefully; steam is hot. Remove parts with tongs and air-dry on a clean towel or rack.
Important: Not every Instant Pot programme is identical. Some models label a dedicated “Sterilise” button; others use Steam with a timed setting. Always read your specific manual before first use with baby equipment.
How to Use Sterilize Mode on Instant Pot?
On models that include a Sterilise or Steam Sterilise mode, the process is usually:
- Add the minimum water stated in the manual to the inner pot.
- Insert the trivet and load pre-washed items in a single layer where possible.
- Close and seal the lid.
- Press Sterilise (or select Steam and the recommended sterilising time, often 2–5 minutes).
- Allow the cycle to complete and release pressure as instructed.
- Remove items and let them dry fully before assembly or storage.
If your Instant Pot has no labelled sterilise mode, the Steam function with a short timed cycle and sufficient water often achieves a similar result—but confirm against your manual and bottle manufacturer guidance.
Can I Sterilize Jars in an Instant Pot, and If So, How?
Many home cooks sterilise glass jam jars in an Instant Pot using the same steam principle: trivet, water in the base, steam cycle, jars upside down or empty on the rack until the cycle finishes.
For baby-related glass (small glass bottles or storage jars if you use them), the same steam method can apply only if the manufacturer marks them heat-safe. Baby glass bottles must still be washed first. Never assume jam-jar settings suit feeding equipment without checking both Instant Pot and bottle guidance.
Plastic baby bottles and silicone nipples have lower heat tolerances than canning jars—prioritise bottle-specific instructions over general preserving tutorials.
Can I Sterilize Anything Using a Pressure Cooker?
Steam sterilisation in a sealed pot can work for heat-safe, food-contact items: certain bottles, breast pump parts marked boil- or steam-safe, pacifiers, and some utensils.
Do not assume everything survives pressure cooking or high steam. Meltable plastics, items with electronic components, pump motors, and products labelled hand-wash only should stay out. Pressure cooking (high-pressure long cooks) is different from a short steam sterilise cycle—follow a sterilise/steam programme, not a stew setting.
When in doubt, use boiling water, a microwave steam bag, or a method your pump or bottle brand explicitly approves.
What Is the Fastest Way to Sterilize Baby Bottles?
For speed after a proper wash:
- Microwave steam bags: often 90 seconds to a few minutes for a small batch
- Electric steam steriliser: set and walk away
- Instant Pot steam/sterilise: fast once loaded, good for batch sterilising several parts
- Automatic bottle washer: one button for wash, sterilise, and dry together (longer total cycle, less hands-on time)
The truly fastest method is the one you will actually repeat eight times a day without skipping steps. For many parents, that means combining a thorough evening wash with whatever steam option lives permanently on the counter.
Instant Pot vs a Dedicated Bottle Washer
Your Instant Pot is brilliant for batch steam sterilising, especially if you already own one and have limited kitchen space.
It does not replace a full wash cycle: you still scrub residue first, and you still air-dry or hand-dry unless your routine includes a separate drying step.
A dedicated automatic bottle washer handles washing, steam sterilising, and drying in one enclosed cycle, often with baskets for nipples and pump parts.
Many Inspiration Edit readers who use their Instant Pot for meals find that the bottle washer handles feeding gear separately, so dinner prep and baby hygiene don't compete for the same pot.
What Automatic Bottle Washers Do
Automatic bottle washers, sometimes called bottle washer sterilisers, are countertop units built for infant feeding equipment.
They use targeted spray jets, baby-safe detergent tablets, high-temperature steam, and a drying phase. Some offer short-term sealed storage after the cycle.
They suit families who wash many bottles or pump parts daily and want a consistent routine without having to load the Instant Pot after every feed.
They will not replace reading manufacturer labels or replacing worn nipples.
Compare capacity, cycle length, and whether your pump parts fit before buying; boiling and Instant Pot steam remain valid options if they better suit your household.
FAQ'S
Add water and a trivet, load pre-washed items, seal the lid, select Sterilise or Steam per your manual, run the cycle, release pressure safely, and air-dry parts before use.
After washing, microwave steam bags are quickest for small batches. Instant Pot steam and automatic bottle washers save hands-on time for larger loads. Pick the method you will use consistently.
Yes, glass jars for preserving often steam on a trivet with water in the base. Baby feeding jars or bottles need bottle-specific heat approval; plastic and silicone follow different rules than jam jars.
Only heat-safe items approved by their manufacturer: certain bottles, nipples, pump parts, and pacifiers. Avoid electronics, non–heat-safe plastics, and long high-pressure cooks meant for food. Use a dedicated steam/sterilise programme. Learning how to sterilise baby bottles, with or without an Instant Pot, gets easier once the routine clicks. Wash well, steam when it matters, dry completely, and give yourself credit for every clean teat at dawn. That counts as a win in any early-years kitchen.
Storing Sterilised Bottles
Assemble bottles only when parts are fully dry. Store in a clean, covered container or use sterilised gear within the timeframe your health visitor. Wet storage invites mould, especially in a steamy kitchen after using the Instant Pot.
Keep a dedicated bottle brush and basin for baby items rather than sharing with greasy pans. That simple habit protects the work your sterilising step just finished.
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