How to Clean a Pacifier: A Safe, Simple Routine

If you want to know how to clean a pacifier, here is the short answer I give every new parent in my family: before the very first use, and regularly until your baby is about six months old, boil the pacifier or run it through the dishwasher; after six months, warm soapy water and a clear-water rinse are enough. Then let it air-dry completely and store it somewhere clean and covered.

That is the whole routine. What takes longer to explain is why the timeline changes at six months, why the sink is the worst place to wash one, and why the pacifier you just cleaned may still need to go in the bin. I have washed more pacifiers than I can count — for my own two, and for the nieces and nephews I have babysat through many long evenings — and the mistakes I made early on were all in those details.

Key Takeaways

• How to clean a pacifier before first use: boil it or run it through the dishwasher, following the manufacturer’s instructions, and squeeze the water out of the nipple with clean hands so trapped hot water cannot burn your baby’s mouth.
• Under six months: the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises cleaning this thoroughly and frequently, because a young infant’s immune system is still developing.
• After six months: washing with soap and rinsing in clear water is enough for everyday use.
• Never wash in the sink basin itself. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that germs in sinks and drains can contaminate infant feeding items — use a dedicated wash basin.
• Air-dry completely before storing. Trapped moisture invites mold and bacterial growth.
• Inspect before every single use. The CDC advises throwing away nipples and pacifiers at the first sign of damage or weakness.
• A clean pacifier is a safety item, not just a hygiene item: the AAP recommends offering a pacifier at nap time and bedtime to help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Why pacifier hygiene matters more than it looks

A pacifier spends its life alternating between your baby’s mouth, the car seat, the floor, and the bottom of a bag. It is soft, it has crevices, and it holds moisture — which is exactly the combination bacteria like.

The stakes are real but manageable. The CDC groups pacifiers with infant feeding items in its hygiene guidance precisely because both go directly into a baby’s mouth, and it flags that germs in a kitchen sink or drain can contaminate them during washing.

There is also a reason to keep pacifiers in the picture rather than skip them. In its updated 2022 safe-sleep recommendations, the AAP advises offering a pacifier at nap time and bedtime as one of its risk-reduction measures for sleep-related infant death. So the goal is not to avoid pacifiers — it is to keep the ones you use clean and intact.

How to clean a pacifier, step by step

Before the very first use

Check that the pacifier is dishwasher-safe, then follow the manufacturer’s instructions to boil it or run it through the dishwasher. The AAP is specific about one follow-up step that is easy to forget: squeeze the water out of the nipple with clean hands, because hot water trapped inside can burn your baby’s mouth.

I learned that one the hard way with a squeeze that was not thorough enough. Nothing serious happened, but the startled face my daughter made was enough to make it a permanent habit.

Daily cleaning in the first six months

For the first six months, the AAP advises cleaning pacifiers the thorough way — boiling or dishwasher — frequently, so your infant is not exposed to germs while their immune system is still maturing. The CDC’s own sanitizing options are the practical menu here: boil the item in safe water for five minutes, steam it, or use a dishwasher’s sanitize cycle.

If your dishwasher runs hot water with a heated drying cycle or a sanitizing setting, the CDC notes that a separate sanitizing step is not necessary. That single fact saved me a lot of pot-watching.

After six months

From about six months on, the AAP says you can simply wash the pacifier with soap and rinse it in clear water. This is where most families settle into a sustainable rhythm, and it is the same shift in thinking I described in our guide to how to clean a baby bottle — thorough at the start, streamlined once your baby is older.

The washing setup that actually matters

Take the pacifier apart if it comes apart, and wash it in a clean basin you use only for baby items — not directly in the sink. Fill the basin with safe water and dish soap, and use a dedicated scrub brush on all surfaces.

If you prefer a cold-water sanitizing method, the CDC describes a bleach soak: one teaspoon of unscented bleach per half gallon (eight cups) of water, soaked for two minutes, then air-dried without rinsing. I have only used this while traveling, but it works.

Drying and storage

Let everything — pacifier, brush, and basin — air-dry thoroughly before storing. The CDC is direct about the reason: leftover moisture helps germs and mold grow. Once fully dry, keep pacifiers in a clean, covered, protected spot rather than loose in a diaper bag. A small lidded container costs nothing and keeps the “spare” genuinely spare.

Should you clean a dropped pacifier in your own mouth?

This is the question I get asked most, usually in a playground whisper. My honest answer: I would not make it your default.

The evidence here is genuinely mixed rather than settled. A study published in Pediatrics in 2013 found that infants whose parents cleaned pacifiers by sucking them had a lower prevalence of eczema at 18 months, which researchers connected to early microbial exposure. It is an interesting finding, and it is often quoted out of context.

What it does not address is the other side of the ledger: adult saliva can transfer cavity-causing bacteria and respiratory viruses to a baby. Given that, my practical approach is to carry a spare pacifier and a small container of water rather than rely on my own mouth. If a pacifier hits the floor outside the house and you have no clean spare, rinse it with safe water, use it, and give it a proper wash as soon as you are home.

When to throw a pacifier away

Cleaning cannot fix a pacifier that has started to break down, and this is where hygiene turns into a choking-hazard question.

The AAP advises inspecting pacifiers periodically and replacing them if the rubber is discolored or torn. The CDC puts it even more plainly: inspect nipples and pacifiers before every use and discard them at the first sign of damage or weakness. Repeated boiling and dishwasher cycles are exactly what accelerates that breakdown, so expect a shorter life from a pacifier you sanitize daily.

The design details matter too. The AAP notes that the shield between the nipple and the ring should be at least 1½ inches (3.8 cm) across so a baby cannot take the whole pacifier into their mouth, and that ventilation holes in the shield are part of a safe design. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued pacifier recalls for decades over exactly these failures — nipples that separate from the base, handles that are too long, and shields that are too small or lack ventilation holes. Its structural-integrity testing involves boiling a pacifier and then pulling on the handle, which tells you something about how much stress a well-made one should survive.

One rule has no exceptions. The AAP warns never to tie a pacifier to a crib or around a child’s neck or hand, and the 2022 safe-sleep guidance adds that you should not use pacifiers that attach to clothing, blankets, or stuffed toys, because of the suffocation and choking risk.

Cleaning is not the only pacifier decision

Two other timing questions come up alongside the cleaning routine, and both have reasonable answers from institutional sources.

On starting: for babies who are not directly breastfed, the AAP says pacifiers can be introduced at any time. For breastfed babies, it advises waiting until breastfeeding is firmly established — meaning sufficient milk supply, a consistent and comfortable latch with effective milk transfer, and appropriate weight gain.

On stopping: Mayo Clinic notes that pacifier use may raise the risk of middle ear infections, though those infections are least common from birth to six months — the same window when SIDS risk is highest and a pacifier is most useful. Weaning between six and twelve months may reduce that ear-infection risk. On teeth, Mayo Clinic reports that use in the first few years generally does not cause long-term dental problems, but that harmful dental effects can begin by age two, so weaning before then is advisable.

If your baby is chewing rather than sucking and the pacifier is taking a beating, teething is usually the reason — our notes on how to soothe teething pain in babies cover what helped us. And the same before-every-use inspection habit applies to plenty of other routines, including the careful attention I described in how to cut baby nails.

Summary

Learning how to clean a pacifier well comes down to a timeline and two habits. The timeline: boil or dishwasher before first use and frequently through the first six months, then soap and a clear-water rinse afterward. The habits: wash in a dedicated basin rather than the sink, and inspect before every use, discarding at the first sign of wear.

Add complete air-drying and covered storage, keep a clean spare in your bag, and you have a routine you can sustain on four hours of sleep — which, in my experience, is the only kind of routine that actually survives a newborn.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Please talk with your pediatrician about pacifier use, cleaning, and weaning for your own baby, especially if your child was born prematurely, has a medical condition, or has any feeding difficulty.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I sterilize my baby’s pacifier?

For the first six months, the AAP advises cleaning pacifiers thoroughly and frequently by boiling or running them through the dishwasher. The CDC’s guidance on infant feeding items suggests sanitizing at least daily for babies under three months, babies born prematurely, or babies with a weakened immune system. After six months, washing with soap and rinsing in clear water is generally enough.

Can I put a pacifier in the dishwasher?

Yes, if the manufacturer says it is dishwasher-safe. Place it in a closed-top basket or mesh bag so small parts do not fall to the bottom. If your dishwasher uses hot water plus a heated drying or sanitizing cycle, the CDC says no separate sanitizing step is needed.

How long should I boil a pacifier?

The CDC’s sanitizing instruction for infant feeding items is to place the item in a pot of safe water and boil for five minutes. Always check the manufacturer’s instructions first, because some materials are not meant to be boiled, and squeeze the hot water out of the nipple with clean hands before giving it to your baby.

Is it safe to clean a pacifier with a wipe?

A baby wipe is a stopgap, not a cleaning method — it will remove visible dirt but is not a substitute for soap and water. When we are out, I carry two clean spares in a lidded container instead, and the used pacifier goes home for a proper wash.

How do I clean a pacifier while travelling?

Carry several clean pacifiers in a covered container so you can rotate rather than clean on the go. If you do need to clean one, the CDC’s cold-water option — a two-minute soak in one teaspoon of unscented bleach per eight cups of safe water, then air-drying without rinsing — works without a stove or dishwasher.

When should I replace a pacifier?

Replace it as soon as you see discoloration, stickiness, tearing, thinning, or any change in shape, and inspect it before every use. Frequent boiling and dishwasher cycles wear the material out faster, so a pacifier you sanitize daily will need replacing sooner than the packaging might imply.

Does cleaning a pacifier in my mouth help my baby’s immune system?

One 2013 study in Pediatrics associated parental suck-cleaning with less eczema at eighteen months, but that single finding does not outweigh the risk of passing cavity-causing bacteria and respiratory viruses to your baby. Carrying a clean spare is the simpler choice, and this is a good question to raise with your pediatrician or dentist.

Do I have to clean a pacifier that came sealed in a package?

Yes. Both the AAP and the manufacturers of most pacifiers direct you to boil or dishwash a new pacifier before the first use, regardless of how it was packaged.