Dishwasher Safe: Cleaning Baby Gear Without Losing Your Mind
Before I had a baby, I used to hand-wash my dishes. It was therapeutic. Now? If it can't go in the dishwasher, I don't buy it. But baby gear comes with a million tiny parts—straws, valves, bottle nipples, and pacifiers. If you throw them in the dishwasher loose, they either melt on the heating element or vanish forever. The Tool You Need: The Dishwasher Basket You cannot survive without a Universal Dishwasher Basket (like the one from OXO Tot). It’s a plastic cage that sits on your top rack. You throw all the tiny valves and nipples inside and snap it shut. No more melting: It keeps small plastic parts away from the heating coils. No more losing parts: Everything stays in one place. What Can Actually Go in the Dishwasher? Plastic Bottles: Yes (Top rack only). Silicone Bibs: Yes (Top rack). High Chair Trays: MOST of them! Check your manual. If your tray fits, do it. It sanitizes it better than a sponge ever could. Bath Toys: Yes! Throw them in the basket once a month to...