How to wash pillows and how often you should clean them

How often do you wash your pillows? Probably not as much as it should. Regular bed pillows should be washed at least once or twice a year or more, depending on whether you have pets or are allergic to them, or you sleep sweaty. Throw pillows, on the other hand, can last longer between washes.

Here’s how to wash pillows without ruining them.

Experts Delah Gomasi, Managing Director and CEO of Australia’s MaidForYou; Katie Dills, President of The Cleaning Authority Brand; Julia Forbes, sleep product expert at Sleep Advisor; and Marten Carlson, Certified Sleep Science Trainer at Mattress Clarity, recommended following this step-by-step guide to cleaning your pillow.

Memory foam pillows retain water and cannot be put in the washer or dryer. Instead, you’ll want to hand wash them rather than fully submerge them. Remove the outer and inner boxes (they can go in the washing machine), then sprinkle baking soda over the memory foam and let it sit for an hour. Turn the pillow over after an hour and repeat the baking soda application on that side. Mix room temperature water and a mild, unscented liquid detergent and wipe the outside of the pillow with a cloth. Use constant motion to prevent water from pooling or soaking into the pillow. Then let the pillow air dry.

Ideally, you should hand wash feather pillows and air dry them. Most, however, can be washed on a gentle cycle and tumble dried with little or no heat.

Throw pillows can often be washed in the washing machine according to the instructions above, but be sure to remove all covers and check the label first. If your throw pillows have decorative elements that cannot be removed, clean them with a mild detergent and cold water or have them dry cleaned. Remember not to put them in the dryer if you can avoid it – air drying is always best.

If you sweat at night or regularly go to bed with wet hair or hair products, your pillows may start to have a yellow or brown stain and smell a bit. You can neutralize this by sprinkling the surface with baking soda and letting it sit for an hour. Then wash the pillows with Forbes’ suggested solution: a mixture of half a cup of vinegar, one cup of dishwashing detergent, 3/4 cup of baking soda, and three tablespoons of liquid laundry detergent. “This combination can help remove the toughest stains and odors from your pillow,” says Forbes.

As long as you follow the directions on your pillow label, you should be able to wash it without ruining it. But if the label has worn off (or never had one), it’s best to hand wash the pillow and air dry it. Dills has some other advice: Don’t load your washing machine with more than two pillows, as this “can cause an uneven wash and even trigger error warnings from the machine,” she says.

Also, take it easy with the detergent. Especially with pillows, your washing machine may have a hard time getting everything out before the cycle ends if you use too much.