How to clean pillows: washer, dryer, by hand and foam

Step by step

1. 1

   Read the label and identify the fill

   Look for the fill (down, feather, polyester fiberfill, memory foam, shredded foam, latex) and the laundry symbols. If the label says spot clean only, or the pillow is solid foam, skip to the foam situation below.

   Why: Down and fiberfill tolerate gentle machine washing. Solid foam breaks up in a washer and is dried away from heat.

2. 2

   Wash two pillows at a time on gentle

   Put two pillows in the washer so it stays balanced. Use a small amount of mild detergent, warm (not hot) water and the gentle or delicate cycle.

   Why: Two pillows balance the drum, and gentle action protects the casing seams from splitting.

3. 3

   Rinse more than once

   Run an extra rinse, or two. An older University of Florida Extension guide rinses pillows at least three times. Press out water instead of wringing.

   Why: Fill holds detergent. Leftover soap leaves residue and odor, and wringing tears the fill and casing.

4. 4

   Tumble-dry low with tennis balls

   Dry on low to moderate heat, if the label allows, with two or three tennis balls or a couple of dry towels. Take the pillows out now and then to fluff and break up clumps by hand. Feather pillows need at least two hours.

   Why: The movement breaks up clumps so the fill dries evenly. Down that stays damp in the middle will mildew.

5. 5

   Check they're dry all the way through

   Squeeze the center of each pillow and sniff it. If it feels cool, heavy or clumpy, or smells musty, keep drying.

   Why: Pillows that are used or stored damp grow mildew and smell.

6. 6

   Protect them for next time

   Put on a zippered pillow protector under the pillowcase, and wash pillowcases at least every two weeks.

   Why: Protectors keep sweat, oil and dust mite allergens out of the fill, so the pillow needs washing less often.

The fill decides how you wash it

Pillows collect skin flakes, sweat, body oil and dust mite allergens. How you clean them depends on what's inside:

• Down and feather: machine-washable on gentle, warm water, low-heat dry for a long time.
• Polyester fiberfill: the same, and usually dries faster.
• Solid memory foam and latex: no machine washing. Wash the cover; hand-wash or spot-clean the core; air-dry away from heat and sun, because both degrade foam.
• Shredded foam: follow the label. Many are spot clean or cover-only.

Purdue University Extension suggests washing pillows about every three months, pillowcases at least every two weeks, and weekly if you sweat at night or have dust allergies.

Pillows and dust mite allergy

NIEHS and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology recommend zippered allergen-proof encasements for pillows, which keep dust mite allergens sealed in. NIEHS also suggests replacing feather or wool bedding with synthetic if you're allergic. Wash bedding weekly in hot water; see how to clean a mattress for the mattress side of the same problem.

By situation

Foam pillows: how to clean them by hand

Remove the cover and wash it per its label. For the foam itself, the University of Florida method is to press it in cool, then warm, sudsy water, rinse it the same way by pressing, and blot it with towels. Air-dry it flat away from heat and sun, or use the dryer only on an air or no-heat setting. Old foam may crumble when wet, so handle it gently.

Cleaning pillows in the bathtub

A tub works well for hand-washing. Fill it with a few inches of warm water and a little detergent, press the pillow under repeatedly to work the suds through, drain, then refill with clean water and press again until no suds appear. Press out water against the tub floor rather than wringing, roll in towels, then dry as above.

Cleaning pillows without washing them

For spot-clean-only pillows, treat them like a small mattress: vacuum the surface, dab stains with a cloth dampened in mild detergent solution, blot with a cloth dampened in plain water, and let them dry fully. Baking soda sprinkled on a dry pillow and vacuumed off after a few hours can absorb some odor, as mattress makers suggest for mattresses, but it doesn't remove sweat or oil.

After head lice

The CDC says to machine-wash bedding used by the person in the two days before treatment in hot water (130°F) and dry it on high heat. Pillowcases and fiberfill pillows that allow it can go through that cycle. For pillows that can't be washed hot or dried on high (foam, many down pillows), the CDC's alternative is to seal them in a plastic bag for two weeks, since lice don't survive long off the head.

Pillows from a thrift store

Clean them by their fill type before use: wash and fully dry washable pillows, and wash the cover of foam ones and hand-clean the core. If a pillow still smells after thorough washing and drying, the University of Florida guide's advice is to replace it.

Yellowed pillows

Yellowing is sweat and body oil in the casing and fill. A regular wash lightens it; for a white casing, add oxygen bleach to the wash if the label allows. Stains that stay after a few washes are set, and a protector stops them from getting worse.

What not to do

• Don't machine-wash solid foam pillows. Agitation breaks the foam into pieces.
• Don't wring or twist pillows. It tears the fill and the casing seams.
• Don't use or store a pillow until it's completely dry. Damp fill grows mildew and develops a sour smell.
• Don't dry foam pillows with heat or in direct sun. Heat and sunlight degrade foam.

Other methods that work

Spot cleaning between washes

Dab a stain with a cloth dampened in mild detergent solution, then with plain water, and let it dry. It's the only cleaning some foam pillows allow.

Caution: Use very little water: foam holds moisture.

Washing feathers and ticking separately

For badly soiled feather pillows, an archival University of Florida method washes the feathers and the ticking separately, then refills the ticking.

Caution: It's slow and messy. For valuable down, a professional cleaner is simpler.

Replacing the pillow

If odor remains after thorough washing and drying, or foam is crumbling, replacement is the realistic fix.

Stain still there?

The fill is lumpy after drying

It isn't fully dry, or it needs more agitation. Dry longer on low with tennis balls, pulling the clumps apart by hand every 30 minutes or so.

The pillow smells musty after washing

Moisture is still trapped in the center, or detergent wasn't rinsed out. Rinse again if soapy, then dry longer. If it still smells when fully dry, replace it.

A seam split in the washer

Stop the cycle, put the pillow in a pillowcase tied shut to catch loose fill, and stitch the seam once it's dry. Use the gentle cycle next time.

Questions

More guides for this room

• How to clean a comforter or duvet at home
• How to clean a mattress, including stains and smells