Milton Sterilising Tablets - 2 Pack (56 Tablets Total) review
By Tom Calder
Milton's tablets are the standard UK cold-water sterilising method and need no electricity, kettle or microwave to work — dissolve one in cold tap water and, per NHS guidance, leave feeding equipment in the solution for at least 30 minutes before use. That makes them a sensible, low-cost addition to a baby emergency kit even for families who normally use a steam steriliser.
- Best for
- Parents who cold-water sterilise day to day, or anyone who wants a power-cut backup to an electric steam steriliser.
- Skip it if
- You've already stopped sterilising (NHS guidance is to continue until baby is at least 12 months…
as of 2 Nov 2026, 13:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.We earn a commission if you buy through the retailer links on this page. It doesn't change our verdict. How we make money →
Researched, not used. We haven't used this product. This review is built from the maker's specifications, owner reports and our own sizing.
What we like
- Works with no power at all — ideal if a steam steriliser is unusable in a cut
- Long unopened shelf life, so a spare pack can sit in a kit for years
- NHS-recommended method; cheap per use
Worth knowing
- Made-up solution should be discarded and remade every 24 hours, so it's not a "make once and forget" fix
- Some parents find the chlorine smell noticeable, and tablets need a suitable lidded container to work in
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Our review
Milton tablets turn cold tap water into a sterilising solution for bottles, teats and dummies, with no kettle, microwave or plug needed. That makes a pack the simplest power-cut backup for a family that normally steams. The one thing to know is that Milton's own soak time and the NHS's differ, and the NHS's is longer.
How it works
Milton's instruction is one tablet in five litres of clear cold water. The active ingredient is troclosene sodium, also called sodium dichloroisocyanurate, at 19.5% by weight, which releases chlorine as it dissolves. Milton says the solution is effective for 24 hours, so you make up a fresh batch each day.
You need a lidded container that keeps everything under the surface. The NHS says a steriliser should have a floating cover or plunger for this, and to make sure no air bubbles are trapped inside bottles or teats. Milton's own cold water steriliser tub is sized for the job, but any suitable food-safe container with a cover works.
15 minutes or 30?
Milton's page says everything is sterilised after 15 minutes. The NHS guidance on sterilising baby bottles says feeding equipment should soak for a minimum of 30 minutes, to change the solution every 24 hours, and to follow the manufacturer's instructions. Where the two differ, the longer NHS time costs you nothing and is the one we would follow.
Rinsing advice also varies between Milton's own pages, which mention both cooled boiled water and drinking water. If you are in a power cut with no way to boil, check the leaflet in the pack and the NHS page before relying on either.
In a power cut
A steam steriliser or microwave bag is useless without electricity, but cold-water tablets work exactly as normal. A spare pack in the baby emergency kit means feeds can carry on. Our guide to a power cut with a baby covers making up formula safely when you can't boil a kettle, which is the harder problem.
The two-pack holds 56 tablets. Made up as one fresh five-litre batch a day, that is 56 days of sterilising, which comfortably covers any outage and leaves plenty to rotate into normal use before the pack's date. Store the tablets somewhere cool and dry, well out of reach.
Milton also lists other uses at different strengths, such as breast pump parts, teething rings, small plastic toys and weaning bowls, and surfaces at three tablets per five litres.
Safety on the pack
Milton's warnings are worth reading in full. Keep the tablets out of reach of children. Do not use them with other products, as they may release dangerous chlorine gas. Do not use the solution on metal, and take care not to splash it, as it can discolour fabrics. The tablets can cause serious eye irritation and are toxic to aquatic life.
Our verdict
Buy a pack if you bottle-feed or use dummies and rely on a steam or microwave steriliser day to day; it is the cheapest bit of resilience in a baby kit. Skip it if you no longer sterilise, or you already cold-water sterilise and have spares in the cupboard.
A researched review, built from the maker's specs, manual and UK listings; facts checked 2 Nov 2026. Sources: Milton: sterilising tablets, instructions and safety information; NHS: sterilising baby bottles.
Who shouldn't buy this
Skip adding a spare pack if you've already stopped sterilising (NHS guidance is to continue until baby is at least 12 months old) or you don't bottle-feed or use a dummy at all.
Key specs
| Age range | From birth |
| What it is | Cold-water sterilising tablets |
| Shelf life / expiry | Unopened tablets keep well |
| Pack / size | 2 x 28-tablet packs, 56 tablets total |
This is a Researched review: we haven't used this product. We check every specification against at least two independent sources, re-check the UK price on a schedule where we can track it automatically, and say plainly who it isn't for. Commissions never change a rating.
If this isn’t the one
Best for Parents who want a no-power backup for sterilising bottles and dummies during a power cut, or as their everyday steriliser.
as of 2 Nov 2026, 13:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Best for Parents who need both hands free while evacuating with a baby, and want a carrier that earns its keep as everyday babywear too
as of 2 Nov 2026, 13:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Best for Families who want fast, hygienic in-ear readings for newborns through to older children, with fever tracking in an app.
as of 2 Nov 2026, 13:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.Questions
How long do you leave bottles in Milton solution?
Milton says 15 minutes. The NHS says at least 30 minutes, so we suggest 30. Either way, change the solution every 24 hours.
How many Milton tablets per litre?
Milton's instruction for feeding equipment is one tablet in five litres of cold water. Stronger dilutions on its page are for surfaces and other uses, not bottles.
Do Milton tablets work without electricity?
Yes. They need only cold tap water and a covered container, so they work through a power cut when steam and microwave sterilisers don't.
Can I use Milton solution on metal?
No. Milton's safety wording says not to use it on metal, and not to mix it with other products because it may release chlorine gas.
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