How to Keep Your Pillows Clean for Healthier Sleep

Keeping your bed clean is a no-brainer, but did you remember to clean your pillows? It's just as important as cleaning your bedding and mattress! Clean pillows will retain their shape and remain supportive for your sleep, so it's essential to wash off the buildup of dead skin cells, bacteria, dust mites, sweat stains, drool stains, and all the other icky stuff your pillows attract!

If you don't regularly wash your pillows, that buildup of contaminants can affect your breathing, trigger your allergies, and keep you from a full night's rest! But don't worry; keeping your pillows clean is easier than it seems! And our experts have the scoop!

How often should I clean my pillows?

Cleaning your pillows regularly contributes to a healthy sleep environment, but how often should you clean them? A general rule to keep in mind is to wash them every three to six months (or twice a year). But there are some instances in which you should clean them more often, like if the color, smell, or physical feel is off.

• Color: if the pillows start to look yellow, they have a buildup of contaminants and must be cleaned.
• Smell: if there's a slightly sour or musty smell, it's a result of a buildup of sweat.
• Feel: if they're not fluffy or comfy, a good cleaning will help revive the filling.

Other circumstances that could lead you to clean your pillows more often are if someone has recently been sick, you've spilled something, you sleep with pets that shed, or if you eat or drink in bed.

Pro Tip: Some pillow materials like synthetic fabrics and fiberfill accumulate dust faster and require more cleaning. However, most are washer-friendly!

How should I clean between washes?

If you don't have time to deep clean your pillows or are not as supportive as they were, you can refresh them between washes. The technique varies by pillow type:

• Feather and Fiberfill: Place pillows with tennis or dryer balls in the dryer, and set the Air Dry cycle for 10 minutes.
• Solid Foam: Sprinkle baking soda on the pillows for 30 minutes and vacuum it off. Then repeat the process on the other side.

Pro Tip: If the above techniques don't work to fluff out your pillows and make them supportive, it might be time to think of an upgrade!

How do I wash my pillows?

Washing your pillows depends on the type because some pillow types are machine washable, while others are not. So, always double-check the care tags on your pillows before cleaning! If your pillows are machine-washable, always wash two simultaneously to balance the drum!

Washing Cotton & Feather Pillows

Cotton and feather pillows are simple to wash and can usually go in your washer.

1. Remove all casings.
2. Set the washer to the gentle cycle with warm water and add liquid detergent.
3. Place two pillows in the drum and run the cycle.
4. Run an extra rinse cycle.
5. Put in the dryer with a tennis or dryer ball in 30-minute intervals until fully dry.

Washing Wool Pillows

The key to washing wool pillows is that they need plenty of space for the water to run freely and to prevent the material from bunching up.

1. Set your machine to the delicate cycle with a cold wash and rinse.
2. Add gentle liquid detergent and the pillows, then run the cycle.
3. Hang dry the pillows for four hours, then place them in the dryer at low temp to finish drying.

Washing Buckwheat Pillows

If you have buckwheat pillows, you know the importance of keeping the hulls dry. So, only wash the cover and keep the hulls separate!

1. Unzip the cover and put away the buckwheat in a large container.
2. Machine wash the cover in cold water with liquid detergent. Take the time to sort through the buckwheat hulls and see if they're in good shape (throw away any damp ones!).
3. Let pillows air dry (preferably in the sun). Also, place the buckwheat in the sun and mix it up.

Washing Memory Foam & Latex Pillows

Memory foam and latex pillows are handwash only and can take up to 24 hours to dry completely! But if you only need to spot clean, do the following:

1. Create a cleaning mixture with a few drops of gentle detergent and one cup of water.
2. Blot the stained area with the mixture and let it sit for 10 minutes.
3. Dip a separate clean cloth in fresh water and blot the treated area.

For a deep clean:

1. Fill a large plastic tub or bathtub with lukewarm water and a small amount of detergent.
2. Submerge pillows in the water, squeeze them gently (no wringing!), and take them out within 10 minutes.
3. Drain the soapy water, refill the tub with clean water, and gently squeeze the foam to release the suds. Repeat until there are no more suds.
4. Take them out and press pillows between two large bath towels to absorb the excess moisture.
5. Lay pillows flat on a drying rack to dry. Add a circulating fan to speed up the process.

When should I replace my pillows?

Regularly cleaning your pillows is the best method to help them last longer. But eventually, there's going to come a time to replace them. The first sign is if you fold the pillow in half and it doesn't spring back up, it's time to peruse your options.

But if you also noticed a weird smell that washing doesn't get rid of, don't wait — upgrade those pillows pronto at Pieratt's! We have plenty of options for you to choose from, so you can find one that fits your sleep (like thin support pillows for stomach sleepers and fluffy pillows for side sleepers!). Once you do, you can also look for pillow protectors and pillowcases to keep them in good shape for longer!

And if you have any questions, give our team a call! Your sleep quality is important to us!