If you have been ignoring and skipping the washing routine of your pillows for several months, be careful you might have been resting your head over the dust mites or molds and mildew. Your pillow needs proper attention and care just like you do with the other bedding elements.
This guide aims to help you make aware of how to wash different types of pillows in the easiest possible way along with the necessary information.
Although bulky pillows may seem to make washing, cleaning, and drying difficult, they can be washed easily and comfortably. You can use either a washing machine or simply your hands to work on the dirty pillows. It doesn't matter if you have bed pillows or couch pillows, this guide will help you learn everything about the washing procedure, irrespective of the pillow types.
Pillows often come with the same materials that require similar washing procedures. However, to remain on the safe side, it would be wise to check for the label on them. You will get to know if your pillows have any dedicated cleaning and drying instructions.
For the pillows that can be washed in the washing machine such as feather pillows, you can follow the below-mentioned steps to wash and dry them.
Many professionals recommend using soap that is fragrance-free or you can also go for natural detergent to wash your dirty pillows. Be mindful that using inappropriate detergent may further damage and hamper the pillow filling. Select the right laundry detergent!
There’s a popular laundry soap recipe that people often adopt while washing their laundry and most especially while washing their pillows. The use of 2 cups of shredded soap and 1 cup of baking soda, washing soda, and borax each can ensure safe and effective cleaning of your pillows.
The pillows are used daily and they might build up stains over time. You need to discard the pillow covers and see the areas on the pillows that need pre-treatment. You might locate yellow stains that may have resulted from sweat, saliva, face oil, and skin products.
Pick the stain remover spray or any chosen natural detergent and apply directly over the stain spot of the pillows. Make sure to pour or spray in a small amount just to cover the affected area. Once applied, you need to allow the detergent to work for about 15 minutes before scrubbing gently.
After the pre-treatment and gentle scrubbing over the affected area of the pillow, you need to load the pillows into the machine. If possible, place two pillows in the washing machine, this way a proper balance is maintained throughout the wash.
But be mindful not to put more than two pillows at once, no matter the size of your washing machine, unless it is very large, unlike a household washing machine. This is because for the pillows to get washed, cleaned, and dried thoroughly, they need plenty of space and water circulation around them.
Once the pillows are tossed into the washing machine, you need to make sure they are worked on the gentle or delicate cycle of the machine. Low heat would be fine but a very low water heater may not be able to work against dust mites, if any. It has been recommended to go for a water temperature of at least 140°F.
After washing, you need to remove the pillows from the machine, squeeze, and dry them. You should know that damp pillows for extended periods may invite molds and bacteria, therefore, use the dryer to dry them as soon as possible after washing.
Customize your dryer in a low heat setting and place your washed pillows into it. While allowing them to dry, you need to check on your pillows for even drying. Many people like to place dryer balls along with the pillows while drying, this way proper shape and fluffiness are maintained.
There are different manufacturers of pillows around the world and they may provide different washing and drying instructions for each of them. Although common household pillows can be quite comfortably washed in the washing machine, some pillows like foam pillows are forbidden to wash in the machine.
This is because of their internal filling which is a special kind of foam and it may get deformed or damaged under stress and pressure of the washing cycle. Therefore, you need to wash them with your hands and be gentle while washing them.
Pre-treating pillows here means that before you begin washing your pillows, you need to treat the stain areas of your pillows, if any. If your pillows are unwashed for a long time, there's a high chance they have blots and marks at different portions. You need to treat those affected areas first and then proceed to deep wash your pillows.
For this, you can simply mix a few drops of detergent on warm water and pour this solution over the stains. If direct pouring seems messy, you can use a microfiber cloth to assist you while dabbing. Once the solution is applied to the stains, you need to let it work for about 10-15 minutes depending on the number of dirty spots.
Your bathtub or large basin is considered appropriate for washing pillows, considering their bulky size. You need to arrange lukewarm water for this purpose. Pour enough warm water into the tub or basin such that your pillow gets submerged in it. Mix a few drops of the chosen detergent in the water and stir the solution.
While washing, you need to work on one pillow at a time. This way, it will be easy for you to work, and the risk of damage and deformation is also minimized. Make sure to submerge the pillow for some minutes in the solution and then proceed to rub gently. Be mindful that twisting and turning your delicate pillow may damage the inside material.
Once the pillow gets proper washing and scrubbing, you need to wash away the soap and detergent from it. For this, replace the solution of a tub or basin with lukewarm water, submerge the washed pillow into it, and knead it.
You need to repeat this step until all the soap gets removed and your pillow is completely cleaned and washed. If the water in the tub or basin is clear and free from detergent residue, you should know your pillow is washed and cleaned fully.
Squeezing the pillow here means gently pressing it using your hands so that the accumulated water gets drained out. You need to press the pillow until the water stops draining out. Make sure not to twist and turn randomly, you wouldn’t want to deform the structure of your pillow.
If you are looking for how to dry pillows, you may use your dryer or simply air dry the washed pillow. For air drying, look for a well-ventilated area and allow the pillow to lay flat under the sunlight, make sure to rotate and turn the pillows to ensure even drying.
Before you let it dry, grab a towel and gently press it over the pillow. This way the remaining moisture gets absorbed and eases the drying process.
Bed pillows are most commonly used while sleeping and sleeping is done every day. This shows your pillows are used daily and thus, need washing twice or thrice a year. You can make a routine of thorough cleaning every 3-4 months. Make sure to adopt the right washing technique for the specific pillows.
No matter which types of pillows you have in your house or bed, they all need washing and cleaning at some intervals. Yes, the washing procedure may slightly differ and you must follow the label instructions, but you shouldn’t skip the washing routine.
There are pillow protectors or pillow coverings available in the store, you can choose to buy the one that goes well with your pillow. Further, while buying a pillow, generally it comes along with the coverings.
A good pillow protector will protect your pillow and increase the time for washing your pillow. But you need to regularly wash the coverings to ensure safety and hygiene.
Fluffing here means shaking or brushing so that you maintain the original shape of your pillow. You need to regularly shake your pillows to ensure they are free from the dust while also restoring their shape.
Make sure to fluff your pillows daily after and before each sleep so that you don’t lay your face or head in the build-up dust and dirt. Fluffing won’t take much of your time, so it would be best if you adopt this habit regularly to maintain the good shape of your pillow.
Foam pillows as mentioned earlier shouldn’t be machine washed. Apart from hand washing after some period of use, you can vacuum it to ensure its good maintenance. Professionals recommend spraying cornstarch and vacuuming on all of its sides once a week.
Besides deep washing and cleaning, you can directly put your pillows into the dryer to make them dust and odor-free. It has been recommended to dry your pillows at least once a month. Keeping your pillows dry further helps to eliminate the molds and mildew development on your pillows.
If such a situation arises when you no longer need to use your pillows for some days or months, you shouldn’t let the pillows lay unused in your bed or any dedicated space. This may make the pillows dampened and prone to mold and mildew infestation.
You need to store them in the appropriate place. Choose a location that is cool and dry to store your pillows, as suggested by the professionals. Pillows when not in use are more prone to damage and bacterial infestation.
When using pillows while sleeping, you shouldn’t use only one side of it to lay your head. This will build up dirt and dust on one side to an extreme level while the other side will remain unaffected.
In such cases, your washing and maintaining work will be difficult. Over time, the used side will induce a stubborn blot that won’t come off easily and you wouldn’t have any other option than to replace it.
You should be mindful that your pillows once purchased and used, should be replaced with new ones after some years. For the first couple of years, you can periodically deep wash them with regular maintenance, but after that, it would be good if you replace them.
In addition to that, you will know it is time to replace your pillows once you begin to find stubborn stains on them. Further, your pillows after some years of use, will begin to feel uncomfortable and uneven. That’s when you should know you need to buy new pillows.
Couch pillows also known as throw pillows are quite different from the ones that are used in the bed. Throw pillows may be less frequently used than bed pillows but it all depends upon the traffic in your house and how often the couch is used by the people.
We are pretty sure you find comfort sitting on the couch with soft fabric pillows for the back support. Over time, just like the couch, the couch pillows also get worn out. Further, the pillows may harbor dust mites and molds as well. Therefore, regular washing and cleaning of your couch pillows is mandatory.
Before beginning to wash the couch, you need to have some essential materials by your side. These below-mentioned elements come in handy while washing couch pillows.
Step 1: Begin by discarding the couch pillow cover, if possible. However, there are some couch pillows without an external cover. If the pillows do not have a cover, you need to skip this step.
Step 2: If you give a proper inspection of your pillow, you may find blots and stains in different portions. Make sure to treat those marks by using appropriate detergent and gently scrubbing using a soft cloth before allowing the detergent to work on its own for some minutes.
Step 3: Gently shake and fluff the pillows along with their cover. This way you can force out loose dirt and dust from the pillows.
Step 4: Toss your pillows in the washing machine and run the gentle cycle. Remember to use warm water and natural detergent or effective fragrance-free detergent while machine-washing couch pillows.
The first three steps are similar to that of the machine washing technique, make sure to remove the couch pillow cover, if any, and pre-treat the visible blots and stains before giving gentle fluffing. After that, follow the below-mentioned instructions.
You will require an appropriate-sized bucket to wash your couch pillows. Make sure to choose the one in which you can easily submerge your pillows with some space for movement. Make arrangements for the lukewarm water and pour it into the bucket along with a small amount of detergent.
Completely submerge the pillow into the solution and let it remain in the solution for some minutes. After that, you need to gently scrub the pillow to remove any marks or blots. Finally, after several gentle squeezes, you can remove the pillow from the solution and rinse it with clean and warm water.
