How to Clean and Maintain Your Electric Breast Pump

Quick answer

Clean pump parts that contact milk after every use with warm soapy water, rinse, and air dry. Sanitize once daily. Wipe the pump motor with a damp cloth—never submerge it.

Step-by-step cleaning and maintenance

1. 1. Disassemble all milk-contact parts: Remove bottles, flanges, valves, membranes, and tubing from the pump motor. Check that no milk is trapped in valve membranes. A common mistake is leaving the valve membrane attached—milk can hide there and spoil.
2. 2. Rinse parts in cool water: Rinse each part under cool running water to remove milk residue. This prevents protein from sticking during the wash. Hot water can cook milk proteins onto parts, making them harder to clean.
3. 3. Wash with warm soapy water: Use a dedicated wash basin and mild dish soap. Scrub each part with a clean bottle brush, including threads and crevices. Avoid antibacterial soaps that can leave residue. Never wash pump parts in the kitchen sink directly—bacteria from raw food can contaminate them.
4. 4. Rinse and air dry thoroughly: Rinse all parts with clean water and place them on a clean drying rack or paper towel. Let them air dry completely before reassembling. Stacking wet parts traps moisture and encourages mold growth. Give each piece space to dry.
5. 5. Sanitize once daily: Use a steam sterilizer, boiling water (submerge for 5 minutes), or microwave steam bags. Follow the sterilizer instructions for your pump parts. Sanitizing more than once a day is unnecessary for healthy full-term babies and can wear out parts faster.
6. 6. Wipe the pump motor and tubing: Wipe the motor housing with a damp cloth—never submerge or run water over it. If moisture gets into tubing, run the pump with tubing only (no bottles) for a few minutes to dry it out. Condensation in tubing is normal. If you see milk in the tubing, check valve alignment and replace tubing if needed.

Product tip

• Rechargeable Double Electric Breast Pump: Lansinoh’s Rechargeable Double Electric Breast Pump has a rechargeable battery offering 3 hours of cordless pumping between charges. You can move around the house while pumping, but remember to keep the motor unit away from water when cleaning parts at the sink.