If you’re like most of us, you give more thought to the cleanliness of the pillows on a hotel bed than you do the state of the pillows on your own bed. However, your pillows at home are subjected to the same dust, drool, sweat, and accidents as hotel pillows. They need to be cared for with the same diligence.

We’ve spent more than twenty years working with professional housekeepers in hotels around the world who are in the business of caring for pillows and bedding to protect the hotel’s investment and to provide hotel guests with their best night’s sleep. Not only have we made it our mission to manufacture pillows that meet their discerning standards, but we have also made it our business to study and share their tips for maintaining bed hygiene. That’s why our founder was quoted in Architectural Digest last year on “How to Wash Pillows the Right Way.”

Caring for Your Pillows Means Protecting, Laundering, and Replacing Them, as Needed

Once you’ve put time, energy, and money into finding the right pillows for the way you sleep, you’ll want them to last. Quality pillows can provide years of great sleep, if they’re treated with a little bit of care. That means protecting them with zippered pillow protectors, washing them regularly and when soiled, and drying them thoroughly. We manufacture our pillows with details such as down-proof ticking, double stitching, and German cotton piping designed to add to the strength and durability necessary to survive the commercial laundering they receive while in service in hotels. Sadly, even our pillows won’t last forever. Eventually they will become worn and lose their shape and their ability to support your head. At that point, they need to be replaced.

Who Needs to Care for Their Pillows?

It’s not just hotels that need to protect, launder, and replace their pillows. Everyone needs to maintain their pillows to protect their sleep hygiene. This is true of both sleeping pillows and decorative pillows. We are focusing on sleeping pillows in this article, but most of the same recommendations apply to decorative pillows, which can also become soiled from use.

What Are the Steps to Caring for My Pillows?

1. Protect your pillows

We encourage you to use pillow protectors, duvet protectors, feather bed protectors, and mattress pads to create the most hygienic bed and to protect your investment in your pillows and mattresses. We highly recommend enclosing pillows in zippered pillow protectors before you place them in pillowcases. They will prevent regular dust and dirt from reaching your pillows. They will also protect your pillows from wear and tear. It is certainly easier to remove and wash a protector than the pillow itself.

2. Launder your pillows

Often, when people have a negative reaction to feather and down pillows, it’s because they have not cleaned and dried them properly, and they have become dusty or developed mildew. For this reason, we recommend regular laundering, as well as additional laundering after you’ve experienced any moisture buildup in your bedroom. We further recommend thorough drying of all pillows, particularly feather and down products. If you do find that you’re allergic to feathers and down, we recommend our aquaplush® hypoallergenic pillows. They are filled with a combed fiber polyester fill meant to feel like down.

Both our feather and down and down alternative pillows should be regularly washed and thoroughly dried. We provide more detail on the when, where, why, and how below.

3. Replace your pillows

When stains or odors can no longer be removed with laundering, it’s time to replace your pillows. If your pillows have become lumpy or lost their loft, they will no longer provide proper support for your head and neck and should be replaced. The same is true when the seams of your pillow lose their integrity and you find feathers and down, or down alternative fill, escaping.

When Do I Wash My Pillows?

If you’ve placed your pillows in zippered pillow protectors, you can remove the pillow protectors for laundering when you wash your sheets. If you see any visible stains or odors on the pillows, it’s time to wash them. Even without visible stains, you should wash your pillows at least every six months to keep them fresh and clean. If your family experiences a higher level of allergies or you live in a warm climate, you may want to wash your pillows more frequently.

Without a doubt, you should wash your pillows and comforters upon soiling or after any build-up of moisture in your room. Keeping your pillows clean and thoroughly dry will prevent the build-up of dust or mildew.

Where Do I Wash My Pillows?

If you have a front-loading washing machine and dryer large enough to allow the free movement of your pillows, and the care instructions do not require handwashing or dry cleaning, you can wash your pillows in your machine, at home.

Why Do I Wash My Pillows?

Dust, hair and skin products, drool, and other contaminants can cause skin issues, breathing problems, and allergic reactions, in addition to providing a breeding ground for dust mites, bacteria, and germs. Sleep hygiene makes a difference to your sleep quality, and it begins with your pillows. 

How Do I Wash My Pillows?

1.     Check the label

Always begin by reading the care label on your pillow. They will provide specific instructions and any restrictions on washing. As cleanliness is important, we recommend purchasing decorative pillows with covers that can be removed for laundering. Check the tags of both the cover and the pillow insert for care instructions for decorative pillows as fabrics embellished with embroidery or beading may require dry cleaning. If the tags have been removed, it’s probably safest to dry clean.

2.     Use a gentle detergent

Choose a mild, low-sudsing detergent to avoid residue build-up. Avoid bleach and fabric softeners, which can damage the pillow’s fill.

3.     Machine wash

Always remove pillowcases and zippered pillow protectors prior to washing your pillows. Down and feather pillows and aquaplush® hypoallergenic down alternative pillows should be laundered if there are visible stains or noticeable odors. They can be dry cleaned or machine washed. 

If machine washing, do so in cold or warm water on a gentle cycle with a mild detergent in a washing machine large enough to allow movement in the drum. We recommend front-loading washing machines or machines without center agitators. Washing two pillows at a time will balance the load. Do not use fabric softeners or bleach.

Essential memory foam pillows should not be placed in the washing machine or dryer as these will break up the solid foam. Spot clean with gentle detergent mixed with warm water, blot the stain until removed, and dry thoroughly in a well-ventilated area. 

If more extensive cleaning is needed, memory foam pillows should be hand washed in a tub of lukewarm water mixed with laundry detergent. Submerge the pillow, gently press the pillows in the soapy water, lift out of the water and squeeze out the dirty, soapy water. Empty and refill the tub with clean water and repeat. Do this as often as necessary until the water runs clear. Place in a well-ventilated area to dry as memory foam should not go in the dryer. This same process can be used to handwash other types of pillows. 

Do not wash buckwheat pillows in the washing machine. You should not get buckwheat hulls wet. The pillow cover can be washed after the buckwheat hulls have been removed.

4.     Rinse thoroughly

Run an extra rinse cycle, if possible, to ensure all detergent is completely removed. This helps to prevent any detergent residue that might irritate your skin.

5.     Dry completely

Tumble dry on low in a front load dryer until the pillows are thoroughly dried to prevent mildew and to kill dust mites. These are microscopic bugs that live in your home and feed off dead skin cells and other things we leave behind after a night of sleep. Their waste is a major cause of allergies and asthma. They love warm, humid areas as they absorb water from humidity in the air as opposed to drinking it. Pillow protectors help to keep your pillows clean and free of dust mites’ food sources, as well as from dust mites’ waste. Dust mites are killed at temperatures above 130° Fahrenheit. If you use cold or warm water, be sure to dry your bedding thoroughly to kill dust mites.

Down and feather pillows may be dried along with a couple of wool dryer balls or clean tennis balls to help fluff the pillows and prevent clumping. Even if down and feather pillows do not need laundering, they will benefit from being placed in the dryer for 3 to 5 minutes on low heat to open the down thereby fluffing and refreshing the pillows. This is true throughout the life of the pillow. 

If you find there is a lingering odor, you can sprinkle your pillows with baking soda. After a couple of hours, shake off or vacuum the baking soda off with the brush attachment to your vacuum. For thorough drying and refreshing, pillows can be dried in sunlight.

6.     Fluff and store properly

Once dry, give your pillows a good fluff to make sure the fill is evenly distributed before placing them back in their pillow protectors and pillowcases. If you’re storing your clean pillows, and you should only store pillows once they’ve been thoroughly cleaned, store them in a cool, dry place. Down and feathers need to breath, so they should not be stored in plastic. We recommend our bedding storage bags and boxes.

Will My Pillows Last Forever?

When your pillows reach the point at which stains or odors can’t be removed with laundering or they’ve lost their supportive qualities, it’s time to replace them. If foam pillows have lost their shape, become lumpy, or refuse to bounce back when folded in half, they should be replaced. At that point, you can consider the options for getting rid of pillows you no longer want and select new pillows. We’re happy to help. We love to talk pillows!

We wish you wonderful sleep on fresh, clean pillows.

-The Team at down etc

Read more:

5 Options for Pillows You’re Ready to Replace

Bedding Buying Guide: The Right Sleeping Pillow for Your Head and Your Bed

Choosing a Decorative Pillow

 

DISCLAIMER: You should not rely on any of the foregoing as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical or health and wellness advice, diagnosis, or treatment by a healthcare professional. If you have specific concerns or a situation in which you require professional or medical advice, you should consult with an appropriately trained and qualified specialist, such as a licensed physician, psychologist, or other health professional. Never disregard the medical advice of a physician, psychologist, or other health professional, or delay in seeking such advice, because of the information or content offered or provided on the Site. The use of the Site and all information and content contained thereon is solely at your own risk.