Clean Plastic Straws?

[thecooperhouse]

There has to be something out there that is made to clean the plastic straws that come in kids cups?

My daughter has a ton from the Disney store and the straws get nasty inside (when we forget to wash right away, yucky)

We have tried soaking and the dishwasher.

Any help?

[$Saving!]

Don't know if this will help but when my son was younger, he had to use a nebulizer machine that had long hoses about the diameter of a straw.

The dr. told us to use hot water mixed with white vinegar to soak it in and then run hot water through the hose to rinse it.

Since he was having to breath in his meds through that hose attached to a mouthpiece, it was imperative that it was germ free so as not to complicate his lungs/asthma.

Don't know if the vinegar will break up a build up of stuff though!

[cearhart]

pipecleaners is what I used on those cups

[isis]

I used qtips. Just be careful so they don't get stuck!

[Jessi]

Thanks for the tips! I have a 15 month old who uses the sippy cups with straws and they get nasty after one day of sitting!

[JOURDYSMOM]

I use white pipe cleaners. The colored ones tend to leak the color dye if they are cheap.

If it is not as wide as the straw, I fold them in half and it seems to work great. Then i send them thru the dishwasher to be sure they are super clean.

I found that the dishwasher baskets from toys r us ($10 for 2) have special straw holders on the outside, that hold the straws upright to get them cleaner. I even put a dirty one thru (was totally skeptical of it actually working) and it cam out clean!!!
Dishwasher Baskets - 2 Pack - Munchkin - Babies "R" Us
you can see the orange and green things on the side. they fold down and are like rubbery to hold the straws in place :)

[puakinikini]

I use those dr. brown bottle cleaners - bought them at babies r us. They are long and thin and a good size. I also splash a little vinegar water in the yucky sippy cups.

[foggierbard9]

I use those dr. brown bottle cleaners - bought them at babies r us. They are long and thin and a good size. I also splash a little vinegar water in the yucky sippy cups.

I secong the dr.brown brushes....I use them for DS straw cups and for DD bottles...wish I would have found them sooner, they work great.

[hillaryef]

I secong the dr.brown brushes....I use them for DS straw cups and for DD bottles...wish I would have found them sooner, they work great.

I also think the dr brown brushes are the best. I just got a new package to get ready for this one...and I realized how many uses those tiny brushes have. How did I go so long with out them :shrug7: They really are great though!!

[ekoury]

I also think the dr brown brushes are the best. I just got a new package to get ready for this one...and I realized how many uses those tiny brushes have. How did I go so long with out them :shrug7: They really are great though!!

count me in too. they are great.