TL;DR
Washing and sanitizing are two separate steps, and washing does most of the work. Clean a pacifier in warm soapy water, rinse it thoroughly, and let it air dry completely. Sanitize as a second step only when the manufacturer's instructions allow it, and ask your pediatrician how often your baby needs that.
Washing is the step that matters most
Washing physically removes saliva, milk residue, and whatever the pacifier landed on. That is the bulk of the job, and it works on every pacifier material.
Sanitizing reduces germs on an already clean surface. It does nothing useful on a surface still coated in residue, which is why the order is fixed.
So the sequence is always wash, rinse, dry, and then sanitize if and when you sanitize at all.
How do you clean a pacifier?
Wash a pacifier in warm water with a small amount of mild dish soap, squeezing water through the nipple and getting into the shield vents and the ring joint, then rinse thoroughly under running water. Squeeze out any water trapped inside the nipple and let it air dry completely on a clean rack before storing it.
Do this after each use during the newborn stage, and at minimum daily plus any time it drops.
Use a small brush or your fingers on the shield. The vent holes and the seam where the nipple meets the shield hold residue you cannot see.
Rinse until nothing feels slippery. Soap residue on a pacifier goes straight into a mouth.
Getting water out of the nipple
Most pacifier nipples are hollow, and after washing they hold water inside. That water is the reason a pacifier can develop a smell or cloudy interior.
Squeeze the nipple firmly several times to push the water out through the tip. Then squeeze again after the outside is dry, because more usually appears.
Store pacifiers dry and uncovered until fully dry. A damp pacifier zipped into a bag is how the inside goes bad.
If a pacifier stays cloudy inside after cleaning, or you see anything dark within the nipple, throw it away. You cannot reach that space.
How do you sanitize a pacifier?
Sanitize a pacifier only by a method the manufacturer approves, such as a brief boil, a steam sterilizer, or a dishwasher cycle if the pacifier is marked dishwasher safe. Clean it first, since sanitizing does not work on a soiled surface, and let it dry completely afterward. Never use bleach or household disinfectants on a pacifier.
Boiling is the traditional method, and most silicone and latex pacifiers tolerate it for the brief time the manufacturer specifies. Do not boil past that time, since heat degrades the material and shortens its life.
Latex is more heat sensitive than silicone and breaks down faster overall. Expect latex pacifiers to swell, get sticky, and need replacing sooner.
Whether your baby needs routine sanitizing depends on age and health, and that is a pediatrician question. Cleaning reduces germs but does not treat or prevent illness.
Source: pacifier manufacturer instructions for use
What to do when a pacifier hits the floor
Wash it with soap and water. A quick rinse is better than nothing but it does not remove much.
Carry two or three spares in a clean sealed container so a drop does not turn into a negotiation. Keep a separate bag for dirty ones.
Do not clean a dropped pacifier in your own mouth. It transfers oral bacteria, including the bacteria associated with cavities, so it is worth avoiding even though it is convenient.
Wipes are not a substitute for washing, and household disinfecting wipes should never touch a pacifier.
Never use these on a pacifier
Skip bleach entirely. It has no place on something that goes into a mouth, and it degrades both silicone and latex.
Skip household disinfectant sprays and wipes, solvents, and anything with fragrance. None of them are formulated for oral contact.
Never mix bleach with ammonia or with any acid such as vinegar, in this or any cleaning task, because both combinations release toxic gas.
Do not put anything sweet on a pacifier. Honey is unsafe for babies under one year, and sugar on a pacifier promotes tooth decay.
When to replace a pacifier
Replace it at the first sign of a tear, a crack, stickiness, swelling, a change in color or texture, or cloudiness inside the nipple. Any of those means the material is breaking down.
Do the pull test regularly: hold the shield and tug the nipple firmly. If it stretches oddly, thins, or shows a weak spot, it goes in the trash.
Most manufacturers recommend replacing pacifiers on a regular schedule regardless of appearance, often every few weeks with steady use. Check the package for the specific interval.
Also confirm the size still matches your baby's age range, and that the shield has ventilation holes and is wide enough not to fit fully in the mouth.
Storage that keeps them clean
Store dry pacifiers in a clean, dry, ventilated container rather than loose in a diaper bag. A sealed container with a damp pacifier inside is the worst combination.
Wash the storage case regularly too, in warm soapy water, and dry it fully. The case gets forgotten and it collects the same residue.
Do not use a pacifier clip cord that is long, and never attach a pacifier to a string, ribbon, or necklace around a baby's neck. That is a strangulation hazard.
Fitting it into the daily routine
Pacifiers belong in the same washing batch as bottles and teethers, which makes it one job instead of three. That routine is covered in how to clean baby bottles and how to clean baby teethers, and the hollow-nipple problem shows up again in how to clean bottle nipples.
Our guide to cleaning baby gear and kids equipment safely covers the rest of the items on the same rotation.
FAQ
Can you boil pacifiers?
Usually yes, for the brief time the manufacturer specifies, and most silicone and latex pacifiers tolerate it. Do not boil longer than instructed, because heat degrades the material and shortens the pacifier's life. Always wash the pacifier first, since boiling a soiled pacifier does not clean it.
Can pacifiers go in the dishwasher?
Many can, on the top rack, if they are marked dishwasher safe. Latex pacifiers often are not, since dishwasher heat breaks them down quickly. Check the package or manufacturer instructions, and hand wash in warm soapy water when you cannot confirm. Squeeze water out of the nipple afterward either way.
How often should you sanitize a pacifier?
Wash after each use or at least daily, but how often to sanitize depends on your baby's age and health, so ask your pediatrician. Newborns, premature babies, and babies with medical conditions are often handled differently from older, healthy infants. Washing is the step that does most of the work.
What should you do if a pacifier falls on the ground?
Wash it with warm water and mild soap, rinse thoroughly, and dry it before giving it back. A plain rinse removes very little. Do not clean it in your own mouth, since that transfers oral bacteria. Carrying spares in a clean container is the easiest practical solution.
Why does the inside of the pacifier nipple look cloudy?
Cloudiness usually means water got trapped inside the hollow nipple and did not fully dry, or the material is breaking down with age and heat. Squeeze the nipple after every wash to force water out. If the cloudiness stays, or anything dark is visible inside, throw the pacifier away.
When should you replace a pacifier?
Replace it at any sign of a tear, crack, stickiness, swelling, discoloration, or a weak spot found during a firm pull test. Most manufacturers also recommend replacing pacifiers on a set schedule regardless of appearance, often every few weeks with steady use, so check the package for the interval.
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