A study found that not washing pillows or their covers can lead to up to 16 different species of fungus building up – triggering allergic reactions or infecting your lungs or other organs. Britons should, therefore, clean their inner pillows every six months – with the clear change in seasons serving as a reminder. Plus, as the average person spends a third of their life in bed, pillows naturally becomes home to bacteria, dead skin cells and dust – all of which can cause acne flare-ups and more. According to Martin Seeley, the CEO and sleep expert at MattressNextDay, Britons should wash their pillows every three months in the washing machine, however, make sure to check their wash label to see what wash suits them best.
How to wash pillows
Martin recognised that pillows can be a bit tricky when it comes to laundry. They are bigger than other pieces of clothing and require the right amount of heat to clean properly.
He said: “The first thing you should do is check the care label on your pillow and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Some pillows may be more delicate than others and require special handling.”
For down pillows, these can be placed in the washing machine but should have their recommended temperature guide written on the label.
When washing them, make sure to use a mild washing powder and include an extra spin cycle at the end to get rid of as much moisture to prevent the build-up of mould.
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When it comes to feather pillows, these can be washed the same as down pillows, however, they should receive a gentle cycle setting due to being made of natural materials. Do, however, check the care label for full instructions.
Then there are memory foam pillows. Unfortunately, the majority of memory foam pillows can’t be placed in the washing machine so instead they are better off being hand washed in a bathtub with water and a mild detergent.
How to remove yellow stains from the pillows
Firstly, Martin recommends taking the pillow case off of the pillow and washing it with warm water using a gentle detergent or mild soap solution.
The expert continued: “Next you need vinegar to remove the stains. Vinegar is an excellent natural cleaner that helps remove yellow pillow stains easily without harming its fabric or design pattern.
Martin said: “Not only does it repel dust mites, but it breaks down the proteins in their droppings, which are responsible for the allergens that many sleepers react to.”
How to dry pillows
As for drying pillows, memory foam pillows need to be air dried, however, most down and feather pillows can be placed in a dryer on an air-dry setting, or the lowest setting available.
The expert urged: “You should, however, add a tennis ball to a sock and place this in the dryer too – as it can beat out any lumps.”
Besides fluffing up pillows, a tennis ball or dryer ball can help speed up drying time, so laundry will be done faster.
What to do between pillow washes
When pillows are between washes, Martin recommends using baking soda to help add freshness to the pillows.
He said: “You may have seen online hacks on how to clean your bed with bicarbonate soda.
“Although it’s found its place on the Internet, this tip has been used for decades to freshen up pillows that may smell a little past their sell-by.
“The trick is to sprinkle yours with bicarbonate of soda and leave it for a few hours. Bicarbonate soda is incredibly absorbent and will soak up sweat residue and associated odours. After a few hours, vacuum the billows clean.”
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