Spray a light mist of vinegar over the pillow; then wipe it down with a mild dish soap solution and white cloth or a sponge. If spots remain, wipe them with rubbing alcohol on the tip of a cotton swab. Sunshine is a natural disinfectant. So, leave them outside to air dry and get clean.
Once a month, simply use the refresh feature of your washing machine so it can gently steam your pillows. Alternatively, you can also air them outside for a few hours or run through a dryer. These will effectively remove bacteria and restore fluffiness.
Use a small amount of detergent to avoid soap residue and clumping. Use the cool or warm water settings since hot water can damage down. Always choose the delicate setting to avoid damaging the fill. Add an extra rinse and spin cycle to remove soap residue and excess water.
Tumble-drying laundry, including pillows, on high heat for at least 30 minutes is sufficient for killing most influenza germs. Don't hesitate to tumble dry for longer, however. Germs thrive in wet places, so pillows should be thoroughly dry to the touch before putting them back on the bed.
Hold the can upright 6-8 inches from the surface and spray from 3-4 seconds until covered. Let surface remain wet for 3 minutes to disinfect. Apply to items that can bring germs into your home such as shoes, backpacks, coats and packages. Also use on soft surfaces such as couches, pillows and mattresses.
The Best Way to Clean Clothes
To kill the germs in your laundry, wash your clothes on the hot cycle, then put everything in the dryer for 45 minutes.
Natural Disinfectants for Pillows
Vinegar: White vinegar is a natural disinfectant and deodorizer. It can help kill bacteria and remove odors from your pillows. Baking Soda: Baking soda is excellent for absorbing odors. It can help freshen up your pillows and remove unpleasant smells.
Run the washing machine on a gentle cycle. Make sure you use warm water to wash the pillows. Once the washing is complete, add in a cup of white vinegar to the washing machine with water and run the machine. Vinegar is a cleaning agent, it disinfects your pillows and also removes any odour.
Lysol Laundry Sanitizer is specially designed to sanitize your laundry and to kill 99.9% of bacteria*. It can be used on most washable fabrics including: Baby Clothes, Gym Clothes, Undergarments, Towels, Bedding, and Delicates.
Pillows should be cleaned often to prevent accumulation of odors and bacteria. Special attention should be paid to pillows with certain types of filling, such as feathers or memory foam. If your pillow can be washed, it should be washed at least twice a year.
The cleaning of the pillow core is usually carried out by the hotel's outsourced laundry center for cleaning and disinfection.
Bleach or disinfectant: If your pillow is made of a material that can tolerate bleach, you can use a bleach solution for disinfection. Alternatively, you can use a disinfectant spray or wipes recommended for fabric surfaces. Washing machine: A washing machine will be needed to launder your pillows properly.
You can spray your pillows with a light mist of white vinegar or soak a clean sponge in the vinegar and lightly wipe your pillow down. Leave it to dry for a few hours. Finally, air your pillows on a dry, breezy day, or place them in the dryer on a no-heat cycle.
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.
Vinegar has been proven to have some disinfectant properties, however it's not nearly as effective at killing harmful viruses and bacteria as commercial cleaners. And because it does not kill 99.999 percent of bacteria and viruses, it doesn't meet the criteria required to be considered a disinfectant.
Fortunately, if you are wondering how to clean down pillows and if you can wash feather pillows, the answer is yes…and it needs to be done at least once a year. This will get rid of any dust mites and bacteria that naturally occurs in the down bedding, as well as dirt, sweat, stains, and oils from use.
To use vinegar to disinfect your laundry, try adding 1 cup to the rinse cycle. Not only can it kill germs and bacteria, but it's also a great natural deodorizer. White vinegar can be used on colors and whites, keeping clothes bright, and works as an effective fabric softener, too.
(including VRE), Staphylococcus aureus (including MRSA), or Streptococcus pyogenes, survive for months on dry surfaces. Many gram-negative species, such as Acinetobacter spp., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, or Shigella spp., can also survive for months.
Any lower washing temperature offers survival conditions for bacteria and induces cross-contamination in the laundry. Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis, for example, have been shown to survive laundry programs at 50°C (Munk et al., 2001).