Washing pillows

It’s not just grubbiness or sweatiness, though, SewnSo.

Please read no further if you’re squeamish! - but after reading the chapter on dust mites in Bill Bryson’s ‘A Short History of Nearly Everything’ I immediately hoovered our mattress (loads of yellowish dust came out - I gather that was all the dust mite poo) and shoved our (probably years old) feathery pillows in the washing machine, one by one.

Interesting to see that the water in the machine went a similarly very noticeable, yellowish colour.
That’s why I do them about every 6 months now - no more yellowish poo-water.

Sewnsew If they look clean I don't wash them. Why give yourself work.

I take my feather and down pillows and duvet to the launderette and ask for a service wash. Done in a day for about £20. Lovely fresh and fluffy and cheaper than buying new. Only works for natural fillings really.

I use fairly thick pillow covers under the pillowcase, so even DH's sweat and oily hair smell don't usually get through. I wash the covers every time I wash the pillowcase and they do last a bit longer before they get smelly. I've actually got his pillow out in the sun all day at the moment as I've always believed this kept them fresh smelling for longer.
What is it about men that makes their pillows get so smelly? His hair doesn't look that bad.

Agreed! Why wash pillows if you put a pillow protector and then a pillow case over them? Those are easily washed.

We use quilted pillow protectors which are washed when the bed linen is changed. I've never had any success with washing pillows so I just buy new ones a couple of times a year. I take the polyester filling out of the old pillows, wash it in a net bag and spread it out to dry in the garden, then I use it to stuff toys or draught excluders etc.

I once had some expensive pillows washed at a laundrette and they turned out lovely, perhaps because of the larger machines they use.

Whether we are talking feather pillows or pillows and cushions with sythetic fibre stuffing, I do the following.

Wash them on a 30 or 40 degree cycle that spins them at a medium setting.

Then put them in the tumbler dryer with at least six tennis balls or plastic balls (any kind will do, you don't need the ones specifically marketed for use in dryers.)

The balls make a dreadful racket while the pillows are drying, but ignore that. They stop the stuffing in the pillows becoming lumpy.

Dry your pillows and cushions on a high setting. If when the cycle ends, they are not quite dry, dry them again.

In this heat, if they are only slightly damp, lay them outside full in the sun and turn them every quarter of an hour until they are dry.

I know dryers use a lot of electricity, but there is no way of not getting lumpy pillows unless you dry them in the dryer. It is after all only once a year most of us wash pillows.

If the capacity of your washing machine and dryer are both big enough you can wash and dry duvets, quilts and down -filled winter outdoor clothing in the same fashion.

If you don't have a dryer, or cannot afford to use it, the only way you can avoid lumpy pillows and cushions is by opening them up and taking the stuffing out, letting it dry in the sun, then beating or teasing the lumps out of it.

This is difficult with feather pillows -as the feathers as they dry will fly away! Sythetic stuffings or cotton wadding can be washed and dried in this way, but you have to dry it quickly - if it takes more than a few hours to dry, it will smell musty.

We have Tempur adjustable beds and the Tempur original pillows. The mattress covers are washed and tumbled dry every week or 10 days. The pillowcases and thick pillow protectors are also done at the same time.
The mattresses and pillows are antibacterial and don't need washing. They are extremely expensive to buy initially but they don't need washing, so it eventually cancels out the initial cost.

I don’t wash them. I recycle them and buy new every six months.

In this glorious weather I’ve been washing everything I can get my hands on, so that I can line dry it in no time at all….my yoga mat, curtains, dressing gowns, winter jumpers. Having run out of things to wash, my eyes settled on the twelve pillows we have in the house……they are all synthetic as I’m allergic to feathers & down and all washed and dried beautifully. They needed a little persuasion to return to their original shape, but they all did and are all white and fresh smelling.

Very apposite, for the other day I had a mad urge to wash all the pillows in the house.

I wasn't sure how successful I would be but am really pleased at the results.

Tweaking my method, I now wash at 40 degrees on a 'duvet' setting which spins at 800. One pillow at a time (they are mainly down and feather but have washed a synthetic one this morning. So far so good).

I then give it a spin at
1400 for ten minutes followed by 30 minutes in the tumble dryer.

In this hot weather I take each outside and lay them on top of the rotary dryer, turning every hour or so.

I was able to start early and complete two pillows yesterday. More drying as I write.

We must be dribblers for the outer casings were not ahem, attractive but half a cap of white washing liquid plus half a scoop of Vanish has made them all look like great (as beautifully clean and puffy as when brand new. I was amazed.

I wouldn't start this process if it hadn't been so hot as I probably would have had to tumble them for hours but as it is, I am very happy with the results.

I know it's a little heavy on energy costs but they really do look good and I have saved them from landfill.

I didnt use the tumble dryer at all, just washed at 40 degrees, spun in the washing machine and pegged on the line, I’m really pleased with the way they have turned out.

I wash 2 pillows at a time - both pillows lining the drum (like 2 bananas placed opposite each other, with a hole in the middle like this ( ) then put a rolled up bath towel(s) in the hole. Usually this ensures the pillows hardly move, so the filling stays in place. On the odd occasion the filling has become lumpy, I open up the pillow cover, straighten the filling, then sew the seam of the cover back up again. Always line dry them. Been doing this for a few years now, and 9/10 times it's successful.

Our feather pillows have both allergy covers and regular pillow protectors on and are washed at the laundrette once a year, usually end of summer, beginning of autumn, during a hot dry spell so I can finish drying them outdoors. I air pillows monthly, outside in the sun when I can, or on the porch when it is freezing out, then I change and wash the protectors whilst the pillows air. I have also tumble dryed pillows at high heat with a damp towel to catch the dust, without washing them. I have also heard the possibly apocryphal tale that freezing pillows discourages dust mites.

Washing pillows has never worked for me. They take forever to dry, and seem to put a terrific strain on the washing machine when spinning. I keep cotton zipped covers on our pillows, wash the covers often, and when the pillows get slightly stained as they inevitably do , I buy new ones.

Saggi

I don’t wash them. I recycle them and buy new every six months.

How do you recycle them, please?

I have some dorma bounceback pillows for plumping and they wash brilliantly another has a silk inner and same,great washer. Cheap pillows will always turn out lumpy mess. I have goose down maxi pillow to actually sleep on and can be washed in commercial machine and fluff dried. I think buying new just exacerbates the waste and unnecessary production of goods problems we have, specially if the old ones are simply chucked in the landfill bin!! By cheap buy twice mantra

Right tried machine wash with elastic bands around them. One came out looking great the other was twisted up and the bands split and came off.
Washed 2 more in the bath with Ariel. Left to soak for 2 hours then gently squeeze through and rinsed well. Very successful no twisted filling or lumps. It's hard work they are heavy when wet but better than throwing them out. Put on line till almost dry then tumble dried. Will do 2 at a time once a week as we have 12 pillows here for family visiting

I roll mine until they resemble a Swiss roll and then tie them with string. They come out just fine.

I put a large safety pin ( nappy pin size) in each corner, this keeps filling in place. Then use vanish with washing powder and they come out perfect.You could use large bag closures instead. Feather pillows wash the same ( minus pins!) My secret weapon is putting pillow in freezer every 2/3 months, for 48hours or more, no dust mites survive that!!