Even before I left for college, I was one of those young adults that washed my sheets every week. I had a duvet cover over my down comforter; I washed it every month. I ate in bed a lot. I washed it when the inevitable spills would occur. I also used a new towel every time I took a shower. Looking back, I washed a lot more laundry than the typical college student.
I was not a dirty person. I have always found myself uncomfortable being in an unclean environment. With that being said, I was well into my 20’s before I realized that I should have been cleaning my pillow. It never dawned on me that cleaning my pillow case was not enough. For those of you that do not know: you have to keep the pillow clean, too.
WEEK 5 | CLEAN BED PILLOWS
According to Consumer Reports, “Pillows should be washed occasionally to remove dirt, dust, and dead skin, and to leave them smelling fresh. Do it too often and they’ll lose their shape. It should be fine to put them on the same twice-a-year schedule.”
Not all pillows are cleaned the same way. Down, feather, and fiberfill pillows are good candidates for the washing machine. I recommend checking the care label and follow the instructions. Missing the care label? Here are a few good tips from Good Housekeeping:
- We recommend laundering two at a time, to keep the washer balanced, and using a front- or top-loading machine without an agitator — a.k.a. the large spindle found in the middle of some machines, designed to help rotate water and clothes.
- If an agitator-style top loader is your only option, place the pillows in the tub vertically, so it’s less likely they’ll get wrapped around and damaged by the agitator.
- Use warm water and opt for the gentle cycle, then add on an extra cold water rinse and spin cycle.
- To remove dust from a foam pillow, vacuum both sides with the upholstery tool or tumble the pillow in the dryer on the no heat or air-only cycle for 20 minutes. Spot clean any soiled areas with a cloth dipped in a mild sudsy soap solution.
- Tumble the pillows dry on low heat, fluffing and turning them often.
- To dry feather pillows, place them in the machine with several clean tennis balls, which will aid in the fluffing process. It’s also a good idea to take them out periodically and fluff by hand, using your fingers to break up any clumps.
Next week’s challenge: clean behind the washing machine and dryer. That is going to be a fun one!
Like this week’s cleaning challenge? Want to see more? Check out the weekly cleaning challenge page!
