A hygienically clean pillow is an absolute must. But over time, sweat, saliva, hair and dead skin cells collect on the pillow, providing breeding ground for dust mites and bacteria. How should you clean it and remove heavy dirt or stains? Pillow rightwash and dry– depending on the material!
Wash your pillow properly: How to keep it hygienically clean
You certainly have thatWashing the bed linenand the pillow in the weekly cleaning program. But how much attention do you pay to the pillow and mattress? Both should be cleaned regularly. Saliva, sweat and dead skin cells can not only leave unsightly stains, they also have an unpleasant smell. In addition, these provide breeding grounds for bed mites. If the mites multiply quickly, they can cause allergic reactions.
Caring for pillows: These are the basic principles
Luckily, you can clean the pillow at home without much effort. Of course, the first thing you should do is read the manufacturer's care instructions. Depending on what the filling is, the manufacturers recommend a gentle wash cycle, hand washing (i.e. a particularly nice treatment) or recommend not doing so.
The following also applies: Use twice as little detergent as usual. It is best to avoid detergent completely.
Step 1. Ventilate well
Shake the pillow outdoors daily. Hang it on the outdoor clothesline every two weeks. It's best to leave them hanging there for several hours, ideally on a sunny, windy day.
If this is not possible in winter, you can, as long as the care instructions allow, put the cushion in the dryer along with several tennis balls and start a gentle cycle at a maximum of 40 degrees Celsius.
If the pillow can be washed, it is best to do this at the start of each season. The process is not complicated, but it may take longer to dry.
If the pillowhas stains, then put some stain remover on it before washing it. If your washing machine is big enough, you can wash two pillows together for better effect. This means that water and detergent are distributed more evenly over the entire cushion surface. If you have a top loader, start a gentle 15 minute wash cycle. The top loaders have slightly more intensive washing programs and can potentially damage the cushion if the wash cycle is long.
Wash down or feather pillows:
Use mild detergent and start a wash cycle at 20, maximum 30 degrees Celsius.
Wash memory foam pillows
The memory foam pillows are usually washed by hand. First vacuum the cushion, then wipe it with a damp, clean cloth. Then add 1/2 teaspoon of detergent to a damp microfiber cloth and rub it into the pillows with light hand movements. Then rinse and air dry.
Wash polyester pillows
Put several pillows in the washing machine and start a gentle cycle. Only add 1 teaspoon of detergent to the washing machine.
Buckwheat pillow
Open the pillow and put the filling in a bowl. Place the bowl outdoors in the sun to disinfect the filling and remove odors. Wash the pillow with cold water and mild detergent.
Remove yellow stains and odors
Yellow spots are usually sweat stains. Everyone sweats when sleeping. Sweat contains chemicals that can turn pillows and bedding yellow. These are best removed with oxygen bleach. Although it sounds very similar to bleach, it is actually a different cleaning agent. Pour 100 ml of hot water into a cup, add 1 teaspoon of oxygen bleach and dissolve it in the water. Soak a cleaning rag in the solution and apply it to the pillows. Then let the cleaning agent work for an hour and then wash the pillow.
Step 3: Dry the pillow
Washing is pretty simple and straightforward. However, drying can be a little more time-consuming. It is very important that you dry the cushion well, otherwise mold could form. Proceed as follows:
1. Place the pillow in the dryer along with several dry towels to speed up the process. Add two more tennis balls to the drum.
2. When drying feather pillows, start a gentle cycle at 20 or 30 degrees Celsius. The dryer is absolutely necessary in this case, otherwise the feather filling will clump together. The following applies: Only put pillows in the dryer that fit easily.
3. In sunny and warm weather, you can let the cushions air dry.
Prevent yellow stains and heavy soiling
If you have yellowStains and heavy soilingIf you want to prevent this, you can use cushion protectors. This means you can save yourself from having to wash them regularly and only have to clean the pillows a maximum of twice a year - once in springonce in autumn- wash.
Regular ventilation and wiping 1-2 times a month can freshen the pillow and prevent mites from multiplying.
Don't give mites and bacteria a chance - clean your pillow regularly and avoid yellowing and unpleasant odors. Follow the manufacturer's care instructions and, if they allow it, wash the pillow two or three times a year.
