Article: Mold can end up anywhere in your child's sippy cup, but there are a few places it is more prone to grow. Straw valves are prone to mold since moisture and food can get stuck in them. Travel valves also can grow mold. Since they slide over cup holes, they can pick up food or moisture that may cause mold. Any edge that is hard to clean or dry can grow mold. This is why it's so important to take the sippy cup apart to clean. After your child is finished with the sippy cup, wash it immediately. Leaving liquids in the cup encourages the growth of mold. After your child is done with her drink, take it from her and go wash it. You may want to have multiple sippy cups to use while the other is being washed. The first thing to do to properly clean a sippy cup is to take it completely apart. This includes removing tops, straws, spouts, rubber rings, coverings, openings, or anything else that is removable. Food, moisture, and therefore mold can end up between the different parts. If the sippy cup has a stopper that doesn't detach, make sure the stopper is open before you wash it. To properly disassemble your sippy cup, make sure to refer to the manufacturer's instructions included with the cup. Due to the problem with mold in sippy cups, many companies also now have videos online that show parents exactly how to properly remove all the cup parts. When you have disassembled your cup, you can wash it in hot water. You can either do this by placing it on the top shelf of your dishwasher or by washing it by hand. When you wash each part, use a small brush to get into the hard to reach places, like inside the straw. You can also use a toothpick to clean inside valves. Pre-rinse parts of the cup that liquid or food may get into, like straws, valves, or other parts that may touch your child's mouth. Pre-rinsing helps remove food or other particles. Many valves will open if you pinch them with your fingers. Some sippy cup valves come with their own cleaning instructions, like the Tommee Tippee anti-leak valve. Read the instructions for your cup carefully to see if the valve has any special cleaning instructions. One way you can help prevent mold on the cap of the sippy cup is to clean it separately. After removing the cap and ensuring the pieces are separate or the stopper is popped up, drop the top into boiling water. Let the cap stay in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove from water using tongs or a spoon so as not to burn your hand. Run the cap through the dishwasher or wash it by hand afterwards. Making sure the parts of the sippy cup are completely dry is very important. This ensures that mold won't grow in any of the moist parts. Don't put the cup back together until you are positive that it is dry. Make sure you shake all the water from the cup before putting it up to dry. This includes straws and any valves you may have to press open. You may want to keep the cup parts separate until you are ready to use it instead of storing it back fully assembled.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Know where to look for mold. Wash after use. Take apart all removable pieces. Wash in hot water. Pre-rinse the parts liquid goes through. Clean the cap separately. Dry completely.