Hi Ladies...
I don't have a dishwasher...(well, I do but its in the garage waiting for hubby to install...lol) and I am noticing that my sippy cups are smelling a little stale. I wash them daily, make sure they are dry and store them w/o lids...what am I missing? I guess I could go out and buy all new ones but I probably won't :). Any suggestions?
~L.
This won't help you now, but once your husband installs the dishwasher, I HIGHLY recommend a product by Prince Lionheart--it's for washing the valves, and you hook it onto the top rack of the dishwasher, and it spins while washing to make sure the valves get REALLY CLEAN! It is a must have. Good luck in the meantime. I agree with the vinegar idea. Bleach sounds kind of harsh.
If you do not want to use bleach, distilled vinegar works too. Jsut rinse very well afterward. Or you can always boil some water and serilze the cups & lids every couple of uses.
I have found that soaking them in lemon juice helps.
I soak mine is a weak bleach solution when they get smelly like that. After the soak, I wash them really well and make sure they are rinsed well, too.
I use weak bleach water to soak them in. Just make sure to wash with hot soapy water afterwards so they don't taste like bleach. :)
I would suggest puting them in a little vinagear and baking soda. Then rinse well with water and hand dry them. This should remove any left over odor and has so harsh chemicals. there is nothing worse then drinking out of a cup that smells sour.
I haven't read any other responses, but I'm sure most people would probably recommend bleach. It's a horrible chemical you're adding to the plastic your kids are drinking out of. Don't use it, no matter how tempting. Fill your sink with very warm/hot water and one cup of baking soda and half a lemon cut up. Let the cups and parts soak in the mix for about an hour. Scrub and then rinse. If the smell persists, repeat, but add 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar. Good luck!
My response doesn't address the sourness of the sippy cups, but here are some links about the potential hazards of using them, just an fyi.
Below is a link to a recent Newsweek article and a USA Today article, that makes for interesting and educational reading for you and your loved ones.. You might consider giving this to everyone you know who uses plastic baby bottles & sippy cups:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/105588
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-01-29-plastic-ch...
Maybe boil them then soak them in bleach, then rinse well.
I have always thrown them away and baught new.
