How To Clean Pillows

While we wash the linen bedding on our beds regularly, cleaning the actual pillows themselves is often a bedroom cleaning task that is completely overlooked. Pillows have a lifespan, however if they are not yet ready to be replaced, then cleaning them is necessary. One easy way to tell if you need to replace your pillow – fold it in half, and if it doesn’t bounce back then it is time for a new one.

Due to the fact that we are sleeping on our pillows every single night for an average of 8 hours at a time, they end up collecting a vast hidden amount of dust and bacteria. Two or three times a year should suffice when it comes to washing your pillows though. If you have memory foam pillows, or another specialist material, then you should follow the care instruction attached to them. Memory foam pillows cannot be cleaned like ordinary feather or polyester pillows, so DO NOT submerge in water.

To clean your pillows;

Before putting 1 or 2 of the pillows into the washing machine, press out as much air as you can. Put your washing machine on an appropriate setting (see the attached care instructions on the pillow) with a gentle and mild detergent – it is advisable not to choose overpowering scents for this. After they have rinsed and spun, it is a good idea to put them on a second spin cycle just to help any excess water come out.

Shake them out to dry, making sure that plenty of air can circulate as they dry. It is vital that they are completely dry in a short space of time as mold can develop inside if not, which is not only really bad for your health, but it will also cause the pillow to smell.