Silicone baby feeding gear is brilliant until a bowl comes out of the dishwasher looking orange. Or a bib holds onto that faint rubbery smell no matter how many times you wash it. If you have been searching for how to remove smells and stains from silicone, you are not alone. Most of it is fixable, and none of it means your gear is ruined. Here is what is actually happening and what to do about it.
Part of our complete guide to silicone baby feeding sets.
Why Does Silicone Stain?
Silicone is porous at a microscopic level. Highly pigmented foods, think tomato sauce, carrot puree, beetroot, turmeric and blueberry, push into those tiny pores during feeding. The longer food sits, the deeper it goes. Heat from the dishwasher or microwave can make it worse, because heat causes silicone to expand slightly and absorb more pigment before it contracts again.
Lighter coloured silicone shows staining most. A white or pale yellow bib after a bolognese dinner is almost a rite of passage. Darker silicone hides it better, which is worth keeping in mind when you browse our silicone mealtime range and choose colours.
Why Does Silicone Smell?
That rubbery or sour smell usually comes from one of three things.
- Food residue trapped in surface pores that did not fully rinse away.
- Dishwasher detergent or rinse aid building up over repeated cycles.
- Mould beginning to grow in folds, rims or suction cup bases where moisture collects.
Brand new silicone sometimes has a faint factory smell too. That normally fades after a few washes. If it does not, the fixes below will help. For a deeper look at whether silicone is safe for your baby to use daily, the full guide on silicone safety for babies is worth reading before you start.
How to Remove Stains from Silicone Baby Gear
Sunlight is your first option
Place stained items on a sunny windowsill or outside in direct sunlight for a few hours. UV light naturally bleaches surface stains without any chemicals. It works surprisingly well on orange and yellow food stains. Rinse the item first and leave it wet for best results.
Bicarbonate of soda paste
Mix bicarbonate of soda with a small amount of water to form a thick paste. Rub it onto the stained area and leave it for 15 to 30 minutes. Scrub gently with a soft brush or cloth, then rinse thoroughly. This method works well on tomato and carrot stains.
White vinegar soak
Fill a bowl with equal parts white vinegar and warm water. Submerge the silicone item and leave it for 30 minutes. Rinse well. Vinegar is particularly useful for cutting through detergent build-up that causes dullness and lingering smell.
Hydrogen peroxide for stubborn staining
A 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution (available from most pharmacies) can shift stains that sunlight and bicarb could not. Soak for up to an hour, then rinse thoroughly. Do not use anything stronger than 3 percent on feeding items.
How to Get Rid of Silicone Smell
For smell, the approach depends on the cause.
- For detergent build-up, soak in white vinegar and water, then rewash with less detergent and skip the rinse aid cycle.
- For food residue smell, try the bicarbonate of soda paste method and scrub all folds and crevices carefully.
- For mould smell, soak in a diluted white vinegar solution for an hour. If mould is visible and will not shift, replace the item. Mould on baby feeding gear is not worth the risk.
- For new silicone smell, boil the item in water for 5 minutes, then air it out for 24 hours. Repeat if needed.
If you are sending gear to daycare and want to make sure everything arrives clean and smell-free, the daycare feeding pack guide covers what to pack and how to keep it all organised between drop-offs.
Bottle Nipples Turned Yellow After the Dishwasher
Silicone nipples and teats yellow over time from a combination of heat, UV exposure and food contact. It is a surface change and does not mean the nipple is unsafe, but it is a sign the silicone is ageing. Check for stickiness, tears or thinning. If any of those are present, replace the teat. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission product safety guidelines recommend replacing worn feeding items promptly to reduce risk.
To slow yellowing, wash nipples by hand in warm soapy water rather than the dishwasher where possible, and store them away from direct sunlight.
Keeping Silicone Clean Longer
- Rinse feeding items immediately after use before food dries and sets into pores.
- Avoid leaving acidic or strongly pigmented foods sitting in silicone bowls.
- Air dry completely before storing. Trapped moisture encourages mould in suction bases and folded bib pockets.
- Use a dishwasher-safe item on the top rack only, away from the heating element at the base.
- Do not use abrasive scourers. They scratch the surface and create more places for pigment and bacteria to lodge.
Most stains and smells respond well to one or two of the methods above. If your gear is still in good structural condition, it is worth trying before replacing. When it is time to restock or upgrade, you can shop our full range of silicone baby feeding sets, designed to be durable, easy to clean and practical for everyday use.
