How to Wash Pillows via Clean Mama

One of the most popular questions I receive is, “how do you wash bed pillows?” If you’ve ever asked this question or wondered if you can wash your bed pillows, this post is for you. Not only can you wash your bed pillows, it’s pretty simple! Two simple steps and a little time and you’ll be sleeping on clean, fresh pillows in no time! If you have feather or synthetic pillows, you can wash them. Foam pillows are the only kind of pillow that you don’t want to launder – feel free to try washing them in the washing machine but do not dry them – they’ll melt and disintegrate.

Wash Your Pillows

Remove the pillowcase and pillow protector (if you don’t use a pillow protector, go and get one). You will want to use the most gentle detergent you have, avoiding harsh detergents. Set your washer on a gentle, warm water cycle as well as its largest capacity. Wash at least two pillows (to balance the machine) and no more than three pillows at a time to guarantee a thorough cleaning. After your washer has completed it’s cycle, run it through the rinse cycle again. This is to make sure that all the detergent is removed from the pillow. I like to run my spin cycle twice as well to remove any excess water and help the pillows dry a little more quickly.

Dry Your Pillows

Once your pillows are washed and the excess water has been wrung out, you can toss them in your dryer. If your pillow is foam, you will want to line dry or hang your pillow to dry as a trip through the dryer would cause the material to melt. For other synthetic materials, dry on a low to medium heat cycle and avoid any high heat. Down and natural materials can’t stand much heat, so set your dryer on Air or Low and allow them to dry thoroughly. If you would like to fluff up your pillows again, put a couple tennis balls in some socks and toss them in to agitate and return the fibers to their natural state. Stop the dryer every 30 minutes or so to rotate the pillows around to make sure that they dry thoroughly and evenly.

With a little extra attention, your favorite pillows can feel like brand new again. So go ahead – wash and dry them and look forward to a good night’s sleep.