How to properly clean and disinfect pillows. To eliminate odors, remove your pillowcase and sprinkle baking soda over your pillow. After 30 minutes, vacuum away the baking soda. Spray your pillow with a fabric-safe sanitizer to disinfect it.
Baking soda works wonders when it comes to neutralising odours. It makes your pillows smell fresh and new. Over time, pillowcases, pillows keep getting stained.
Add natural detergent, followed by 1/2 a cup of white vinegar, to the detergent dispenser. Choose a gentle (or delicate cycle). Use cold water to prevent the filling from clumping. After washing, remove the pillows from the washing machine and gently squeeze out excess water.
Fill a bathtub: You will need to fill a bathtub or basin with enough water to submerge your pillows fully. Add detergent: Mild detergent formulated for delicate fabrics or down is recommended. Submerge the pillows: Fully submerge them and allow them to soak for 15-20 minutes to loosen any dirt or oils.
The sweat, oil, and dead skin cells that turn a pillow yellow can also clog pores and potentially cause skin breakouts. Pillows can also be a source of bacterial buildup over time. We recommend replacing your pillow every one to two years or if it shows signs of excessive discoloration.
Pillows turn yellow because of sweat. There are other reasons why a pillow may start to turn yellow including falling asleep with wet hair, lotions and oils on the skin, and moisture. When moisture or sweat remains on the pillow for long periods of time, the pillow will turn yellow.
Most experts recommend replacing pillows every 1 to 2 years. Doing so helps to ensure that you're using pillows that are supportive, clean, and free of allergens. It is also important to care for the pillows you use to ensure their longevity. Generally, you'll be able to tell when it's time to replace your pillows.
Setting the Washing Machine
Use warm water and a gentle cycle when washing pillows. If possible, wash two pillows at a time to balance the load. For machines with an agitator, place the pillows vertically to prevent them from wrapping around the agitator and becoming damaged.
While it's generally safe to put pillows in the dryer, using high heat may not be the best approach. High heat can damage sensitive fillings such as down or feathers, and, if hot enough, could even cause synthetic fillings to melt. It's best to use a lower heat with XL wool dryer balls to speed the process.
First sprinkle baking soda all over the pillow (with the pillowcase removed) and leave it for an hour. The baking soda absorbs smells and kills mold and mildew. Then use an upholstery attachment to vacuum the pillow. You can also deodorize and sterilize your pillow by airing it outside.
Tougher Stains:
Mix baking soda and water to create a thick paste. Apply it directly to the stain and let it sit for 15–20 minutes to break down stubborn dirt.
Vinegar: White vinegar is a natural disinfectant and deodorizer. It can help kill bacteria and remove odors from your pillows.
Maintaining a clean mattress is vital for ensuring a healthy and restful sleep environment. Baking soda offers an effective, natural, and economical way to sanitize and deodorize your mattress without the use of harsh chemicals.
Contact a textile recycling facility: Instead of tossing your old pillows into the recycling bin, you can bring them to these recycling facilities. Textile recycling facilities reuse old stuffing as padding, cleaning rags, and insulation, preventing them from ending up in landfills.
How Often You Should Wash Your Sheets (And How to Get Them Really Clean) Experts recommend washing or changing sheets once a week.
If you sleep on your back or side, then it is always recommended to sleep with one pillow to ensure your head and neck are fully supported. However, as advised, using a secondary pillow between your knees or hips gives that extra support.
The Culprits Behind Yellowing Sheets
Our bodies produce oils and sweat and shed dead skin cells, which all find their way into the fabric of our sheets. Over time, these residues build up and cause that unsightly yellow hue we're all too familiar with.
Yellow stains on pillows are not only unsightly, but they can also be a breeding ground for bacteria and allergens.
Prepare the Washing Machine: Set your machine to a gentle warm wash, and add the recommended amount of Oxygen Brightener and Laundry Soda. The combination of these two products will work to lift and remove the yellowed stains. Wash the Pillows: Place your pillows in the washing machine.
Like a gentle breeze through an open window, baking soda can whisk away odors with ease. Here's how to do it: Sprinkle baking soda liberally over the surface of the pillow. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes to allow the baking soda to absorb any odors.
And at Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, a report on reducing Staphylococcus aureus in adult surgical and medical departments states: "General hospital mattresses and pillows must be cleaned using general-purpose detergent followed by disinfection 0.1% Chlorine solution, not alcohol.
If your throw pillows have stains, you can treat them using hot water and OxiClean. "Be sure to wash pillows regularly to avoid fully set-in stains or permanent damage and always color test your pillows before using any cleaning products or methods," says Cohoon.