A nasal aspirator is used to suck snot out of your little one’s nose. Little babies can not blow their own noses. It is a skill that is usually acquired around 3 or 4 years old. You have to have an alternative method of snot removal. The traditional bulb style aspirator is the hardest to clean and keep clean. They often hold onto the gunk you remove from your baby. The best way to clean them is to fill a coffee cup (or something of a similar size) with hot soapy water and suck the water up and blow it out of the aspirator multiple times. You then want to store it upright with the bulb at the top so any water can drain out. The bulb style aspirator should be replaced every four to six weeks depending on how often it is used. There are newer style aspirators that have a larger bulb and a removable tip. These aspirators are much easier to clean and only need to be replaced if they are damaged. To clean this style of aspirator you need to first pull apart the bulb and the tip. Once this is done rinse the aspirator parts in warm soapy water and allow to air dry. You can also find aspirators that use human suction to assist with snot removal. This style of aspirator usually has a bulb or syringe style piece that goes at the edge of the baby’s nose. It also has a filter and a long tube with a mouthpiece. The bulb end is placed near the baby’s nose and (with a filter in place) the mouthpiece is placed in a caregiver’s mouth and they create suction by sucking on the mouthpiece. This is a great way to be in full control of the amount of suction you are using to remove snot. To clean this style of nasal aspirator you remove the syringe or bulb style end from the tube and take it apart. You then remove the mouthpiece and rinse all parts in warm soapy water. You will have to remember to change the filter with each use to prevent your baby’s snot from going into the tube and possibly into your mouth.