Washing Pillows

by Marissa Zumbo, December 2021

Some people may think that if you wash your pillowcase then there’s no need to wash the pillow itself, but that’s not the (pillow)case… Over time, your pillow absorbs and collects all sorts of oils, sweat, and skin cells (yuk!). So it’s important to wash your pillows properly. Doing so will also help revive your pillow’s fluff and get rid of any lingering odors.

While you should be washing your bed sheets and pillowcases once every week or two, your pillows only need to be cleaned once every 6 months – more often if you sweat or drool a lot in your sleep.

Most pillows filled with cotton, down, feather, and fiberfill can be cleaned in a washing machine, but it’s always good to check the label before adding them to a load. There are some pillows, such as foam ones, that can’t go in the wash because the agitation could damage the padding.

Follow these easy steps to machine wash your pillows:

  1. Remove the pillowcases and set aside. Wash those in a separate cycle.

  2. Make sure there are no tears in the pillow that would cause the stuffing to come out mid-wash. Pre-treat any stains with a gentle solution of your choice.

  3. Top loading washing machines typically have center agitators that are infamous for ripping delicates (like pillows) apart, so only use a front loading machine. Put at least two pillows in the wash at a time to balance the load.

  4. Set the cycle to delicate and cold water. *Some advise using warm water, but this can often shrink the pillows, so be careful*

  5. Include a small amount of a gentle detergent in the load, add an extra rinse cycle to make sure all of the detergent drains out, and press start.

  6. When they’re done in the washer, place them in the dryer with two dryer balls, or tennis balls, to help evenly distribute the padding and get the clumps out.

  7. Set the dryer on a delicate cycle with the lowest possible temperature setting. Press start.

  8. It may take a few cycles for the pillows to completely dry, but make sure you check on them, fluffing each before adding on another cycle.

  9. Once the pillows are completely dry inside and out, feel free to throw back on clean pillowcases and head to bed.

There you have it! A clean pillow to help lull you off to sleep. You’ll be counting sheep in no time.

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Sources Cited for Article:

https://www.homedepot.com/c/ah/how-to-wash-pillows/9ba683603be9fa5395fab900b66307a

https://www.consumerreports.org/pillows/how-to-wash-a-pillow-a1157640885/

https://www.marthastewart.com/2221370/how-wash-pillows