Baby Bottle Funk- how to get rid of that SMELL

So if you are like me, and have a baby at home you have probably smelled baby bottle funk before. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't find any way to make that sour milk smell go away. If your baby is on formula (especially soy) you know how bad that smell can get. Even if you are super vigilant about washing bottles right away, chances are one has disappeared in a diaper bag or under the couch for a little while. Even if it hasn't happened to you, we all know that after a while the plastic bottles just plain STINK. I have tried all sorts of funky stuff, from vinegar (which made the sour milk smell worse) to rice (to absorb the smell I guess?). 

My recent run- in with mildew-y laundry (and how I fixed that stench) got me thinking about how to get the smell out of my bottles. If I can get mildew out of towels with HOT water and baking soda, surely the same applies to not nearly as porous plastic right? So I went ahead and tested my theory out, and it WORKED! They smell brand new! (The nipples still have a VERY faint odor, but you need to replace those every few months anyway). They seriously smell like I took them right out of the box and boiled them. Here is how I did it:

--> Rinse bottles and all components well- DO NOT WASH THEM YET!
--> Boil water on the stove (yes the old fashioned pot method) with 1/4 cup of baking soda and add as many bottles as you can fit while leaving about 1 inch of water from the bottle to the top of the water line. BOIL FOR TEN MINUTES
--> With a long wooden spoon (use the handle) hook bottle opening and CAREFULLY pour out the boiling water back into the pot. (leave water boiling if adding more bottles- you can use same water) Using same spoon handle place bottle in sink standing upright.
--> Add 1 tbs. of baking soda to bottom of each bottle and fill with COLD water. Let soak for 10 minutes
--> Wash bottles with HOT SOAPY water BY HAND with bottle brush and allow to dry.
--> Repeat with any bottles left and nipples (minus the baking soda soak unless you do this in a bowl)

The reason I wash these by hand is to MAKE SURE all of the baking soda residue is cleaned out properly. I've noticed washing bottles in the dishwasher (even with the super expensive cascade complete) that you can sometimes end up with a powder residue. Since they have already been boiled, HOT soapy water does the trick pretty well. I personally use Palmolive Antibacterial and rinse until they make a squeaking sound against my finger, if your finger slides easily you didn't get all of the soap off. 

They smell amazing when they are done :) I would do this maybe once a week on Sunday (or whatever day you have the time to spend upwards of an hour to De-funk all of your bottles. By all means though, you don't want your little rug rat to get the runs from bottles that haven't been washed well enough :)