It’s a well-known parenting hack to put baby socks in a zippered mesh lingerie bag before tossing them into the washing machine and dryer. This prevents them from getting lost or — gasp — eaten. But I never thought about using the bags in the dishwasher, too. Commenter BigPharmaSkeptic shared this tip on our post about dishwasher tricks.
Many, many baby items including toys are dishwasher safe. One problem is that some things are so small they fall through the racks.
The solution is a zippered mesh lingerie bag. You can buy them at the dollar store, put small items in them, then put the bag in the top rack of your dishwasher. I always include a bag with any gift I give new parents.
What can you put in these bags? Bottle nipples, bottle caps, dummies, breast pump parts, valves, syringes, teething rings and pretty much anything that is small and washable. Just read the label and make sure the product is dishwasher safe.
For feeding items, the CDC recommends separating all parts, rinsing them under running water, placing the pieces in the mesh bag (or in a closed-top basket) and then running the dishwasher using hot water and a heated drying cycle or sanitizing setting.
You can also buy a silicone dishwasher bag, which is heftier and won’t snag, but a basic mesh lingerie bag works fine if you’re looking for an economical option. Your baby items will now be safe and ready for the tiny person who needs them.
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