How Often Should You be Washing Your Pillow?

Pillows usually come with a tag suggesting instructions on how to clean them but a lot of people ignore them. Some people never even bother to wash them thinking that it’s okay as long as we’re changing the pillowcases.  Mary Marlow Leverette, housekeeping and laundry expert for The Spruce explained in an email that a standard pillowcase is made only of cotton or other permeated fabrics which renders the pillow unprotected from dust, body oils, mites, and saliva.

Experts at Clean MySpace also said that regular close-exposure with these contaminants could cause allergies or illnesses to flare up. Over time, the average pillow doubles their weight as it absorbs dust, mold, allergens, bacteria and dead skin. How Frequent Should I Wash My Pillows? Martha Stewart claims that zippered pillow protectors help you reduce your pillow washing chores to twice per year although the protectors themselves should be washed every month.

If you apply face lotions before bed or have oily skin/scalp, sleep with a pet, recently had a contagious illness or if you drool when you sleep, then you might need to wash them more than anyone else to keep things fresh says Mary Zeitler, a consumer scientist for Whirlpool Corporation’s Institute of Home Science.  The Spruce also advised that if you don’t use a pillow protector, you should wash your pillow either monthly or every other month.

The easiest way to wash your pillows is by following the directions written in the tag. Leverette of The Spruce says that It’s important to know the filling inside your pillow, so you know what kind of washing process you will put it into.

Synthetic and feather material pillows should be washed using warm water inside the machine with only two per load to help keep the balance inside when it’s spinning. Choose a mild liquid detergent than residue-inducing powdered kind and set the device on a gentle cycle. You can also opt for an extra rinse to make sure that no soap stays inside the pillow.  Drying should be under low-heat or if air drying, it should be for as long as there’s moisture in the pillows. Even the smallest amount of dampness will attract mold growth.

A secret technique by the Clean My Space team says to tie two clean tennis balls separately on socks. It will help remove all the excess moisture. The socks protect the smell and color of the balls to be transferred on the pillows. You’ll know if it still has moisture if you take a deep smell put it back if moisture is still present.

Foam pillow care is entirely different since they usually can’t get excessively wet, so the machine to use here are vacuums. After sucking all the bacteria and other dirt, put them in a dryer under “no heat” to shake grime and dirt loose. If any spot remains visible clean the area with water and mild soap until gone.