How to wash your pillows safely - Don't run out of pillow!

 How to wash your pillows safely - Don't run out of pillow!

Today, technology has made various types of pillows available to us . They have undoubtedly facilitated our rest, however not all of them wash the same. We teach you how to wash your pillow safely, whatever the type.

- How to wash your pillows safely and Pillows Product

Anyway, if you have not changed your pillow in more than 3 years, you should know that it is time to "retire" it, so I recommend that you look at the best pillows of 2021 .

How to wash pillows

The best solution to care / wash your pillow is to use pillowcases (see them on Amazon) , since in this way we will only have to wash the cover without having to clean the pillow.

How to wash a memory foam pillow?

Memory foam pillows (including Tempur , aloe vera, and memory foam pillows ) and gel pillows wash in the same way. We will explain it in detail below.

Can memory foam or gel pillows be washed in the washing machine?

First of all, we must bear in mind that memory foam pillows CAN NOT be washed in the washing machine (either aloe vera or some other treatment).

They also cannot be completely soaked because they would lose all the qualities they had when buying them. Also, they will not dry properly, and mold and dirt will end up originating in them, thus favoring the appearance of bacteria and mites.

In any case, if we never wash our pillow, it will also deteriorate and lose its qualities.

If the pillow only suffers from bad odors, we recommend ventilating it and leaving it in the sun for an hour. If the bad smell still persists, then prepare a mixture of vinegar and water and spray the affected area, use very little, just a few drops (ideally use a spray or dispenser).

Now wait a few minutes and dry it with a towel, then put baking soda on top and let it work for 8 hours and remove it with the vacuum cleaner.

And ready! Now you know how to wash your memory foam pillow safely.

How to wash a memory foam or gel pillow by hand?

On the other hand, if the pillow has been stained with some liquid, then it does require a deeper wash. At Alsobre we recommend washing it by hand, the washing machine is prohibited with this type of pillows.

First of all, look at the pillow label and manufacturer's instructions. If these instructions allow machine washing and it is a memory foam or gel pillow, we recommend NOT doing it, wash it by hand because the chances of loading it are quite high.

To wash the memory foam or gel pillow, we must first prepare a container with a mixture of  hot or warm water and mild washing machine detergent for delicate garments (DO NOT USE: bleach, bleach, fabric softener, or enzyme detergent).

You can imagine the next step, we have to take a cloth, submerge it in the container, drain it VERY well and rub in circular movements. And the third and last step is to dry it, for this we will press the wet part of the pillow so that the water comes out with the help of a towel and thus absorb it (the better we do this step, the faster it will dry).

Finally we will let it dry in a flat place without humidity, you can also help with a fan to speed up the process. The drying part is the most important, you must make sure that the pillow is completely dry , otherwise mold will develop.

How to wash a latex pillow?

Latex is a more resistant material to water than viscoelastic, however a wash in which they are soaked whole can be dangerous .

There are several models and depending on which one you have you have one option or another.

Can latex pillows be machine washed?

The answer to this question is it depends on what model you have. As for latex pillows, there are some models that allow machine washing and others do not. Read the manufacturer's instructions , if they don't say anything about washing, then do it by hand.

How to wash a latex pillow by hand?

To wash latex pillows by hand, the exact same process is followed as viscoelastic or gel pillows (in the previous section). The only difference is in the drying, and that is that these types of pillows do not feel very well in the sun , it is best to dry them where it is not directly hitting them.

Remember that it has to be completely dry before using or storing it and that the best option is to use pillowcases and wash them frequently without having to clean the pillow itself. You can wash a latex pillow in the washing machine as long as the manufacturer indicates it.

How to wash feather or down pillows?

Feather or down pillows can be washed both in the washing machine and by hand . If you want to wash them by hand, the process is the same as with the memory foam and gel pillow.

How to wash a feather or down pillow or cushion in the washing machine?

If you are going to wash them in the washing machine, you must take certain precautions. First of all,  read the manufacturer's instructions and make sure it does not have any small holes , otherwise you will lose the filling during the wash and we will run out of pillow.

You should use a mild detergent  for delicate items (no bleach, no bleach, no fabric softener, no enzyme detergent).

The washing machine program must be a special wash for delicate clothes (usually acrylic or sportswear).

Now put the pillow in the washing machine with two tennis balls so that the feathers do not become caked (if you do not have clean tennis balls, cover them with socks so they will not get dirty).

The next step is to rinse it with the centrifuge program, do it at low rpm and repeat this process to speed up drying, then take it to the bathtub and press it gently to remove the remaining water.

And the last step is drying, if you have a dryer it is ideal , you just have to put the pillow in and set a low temperature, but for a longer time than usual.

If you don't have a dryer, this process is a bit more tedious, you have to put it in a flat place (if the sun's rays are powerful, leave it in the shade, as yellow spots could appear) and that it is not damp.

During this process you will have to turn it over to change sides three times a day , it should not take more than 48 hours to dry. If you want to learn how to wash your duvet, you have to read this article.

How to wash fiber pillows?

Fiber or microfiber pillows can be washed in the washing machine without any problem , they are undoubtedly the easiest and most comfortable to wash, you can dry them like other pillows although you can also hang them.

But still, read the manufacturer's instructions so you don't get scared.

Do you already have your Nordic filling for this winter? Look at this selection , they are very economical without sacrificing quality.

How to wash a smart pillow?

There are two main types of smart pillows.

On the one hand we have the breathable ones , they are made of synthetic materials such as microfiber, silicone hollow fiber, polyurethane ... On the other hand, we have the molded ones , the latter use a viscoelastic or very similar material.

We can wash the breathable ones in the washing machine without any problem, as if it were any microfiber pillow.

The molded ones do not, because if we soak them in water they lose their memory foarm properties (adaptive capacity and recovery of their shape). So we must clean them by hand.

To find out which group the pillow belongs to, we recommend that you look at the manufacturer's label, and depending on their material, you can find out if they are breathable or molded.

However, if you are not sure which type it belongs to, DO NOT play it, wash it by hand.

How to wash a smart pillow by hand?

To wash a smart pillow by hand you follow exactly the same process as with a memory foam pillow, I will repeat it one more time just in case ...

We prepare a mixture with warm or hot water and mild washing machine detergent (it does not matter if it is powder or liquid), DO NOT use bleach, bleach, fabric softeners, or enzyme detergent.

Then we take a clean cloth, we immerse it in the solution, we drain it well to remove the excess water and gently rub in a circular way over the area you want to clean.

And to finish we have the drying, you can use a dryer, but if you are not familiar with it, better not use it, if you use it, use a low temperature and leave it twice as long. If you do not want to use a dryer, you will only have to hang it in a place that does not have too much humidity.

It is very important that you let it dry completely , make sure it is well, because otherwise it could cause fungus or mold.

There are probably people who want to clean the entire pillow and not just a part, but there is no other way, you will have to rub all over the pillow with patience if this is your case. I will not tire of repeating that the best option is to buy a cover and thus you will not have to wash the pillow but the cover.

How to wash moldy pillows?

First of all, tell you that if your pillow has mold, it is probably because it got wet and was not allowed to dry completely before using it, so from now on make sure that the drying is complete.

If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't hesitate to buy myself any pillow before cleaning this one, but that's just my point of view.

It is possible to remove mold completely, we will follow one procedure or another depending on whether your pillow can be washed in the washing machine or not:

Remove mold from machine washable pillows

Fiber, polyurethane, silicone hollow fiber, microfiber, feather, down, or wool pillows are generally machine washable, however check the manufacturer's label.

If your pillows are made of down, feathers or wool, put 3 tennis balls in the washing machine to prevent the material from caking.

• 1- First, spray generously with a stain remover on the affected area, let it take effect for about a quarter of an hour.
• 2- Second, put the pillow in the washing machine , use the maximum temperature recommended by the manufacturer, if you cannot find the manufacturer's temperature, I recommend that you do not exceed 60ºC and instead of using detergent, use a glass of white vinegar.
• 3- Then wash it again in the washing machine with a mild detergent , try to make this last program long, the longer the better for it to take effect (DO NOT use: bleach, bleach, fabric softener. Enzyme detergent).
• 4- Dry them, you can hang them, leave them in the window, give them direct sunlight (if possible) and try to avoid humid places. LET IT DRY COMPLETELY.

Remove mold from non- machine washable pillows

In general, the pillows that can NOT be washed in the washing machine are memory foam, Tempur pillows, intelligent pillows, latex pillows (these will inevitably suffer after the process), memory foarm pillows, and aloe vera pillows. ..

If you have a latex pillow, it will suffer in the drying process.

Here is the step by step to clean a moldy pillow by hand:

• 1- Prepare  a mixture  of table salt (normal sea salt), the juice of a lemon and a little water.
• 2- We immerse a sponge in the solution, drain very very well (we must avoid that the pillow gets too soaked) and  rub in a circular way on the affected areas with mold.
• 3- Rub and drain as many times as you need to remove mold.
• 4- When you finish you should let the pillow dry in a place where the sun shines directly , it is essential that it be in the sun, because it will favor the complete elimination of bacteria.

Latex pillows cannot be exposed to direct sunlight for several hours at a time, which is why they will irretrievably deteriorate.

How to whiten a yellowish pillow?

As time passes, our pillow may acquire a yellowish color, this is mainly due to sweat and saliva.

Below we will tell you step by step what you need to make your pillow look like new again.

Ingredients

• A glass of washing machine detergent
• A glass of biodegradable dishwasher detergent
• Half a glass of borax
• Hot water (whatever is necessary)
• Preparation of 3 liters of water, half a cup (125ml) of lemon juice and a cup of hydrogen peroxide (250ml)

Process
The process is simple, you just have to pour all the ingredients into the washing machine , first make sure if your pillow is suitable for machine washing (on the label).

The preparation of water, lemon and hydrogen peroxide is simple, you just have to stir it well until they are completely mixed.


Put on gloves to protect your hands from chemicals.

The washing machine program should use the hottest water possible according to the indications on the label.

Do two spins to facilitate drying.

You can also press gently on the pillow to drain it, if they still have a lot of water.

Lay the pillow in the sun, in a place with low humidity, make sure it is completely dry before using it so that it does not cause fungus or mold.

How to remove a bad smell from a pillow?

Removing bad odors from a pillow is a simple task:

• 1Use baking soda to cover the pillow completely and on both sides.
• 2Wash it as indicated in this article
• 3Put it to dry in the sun and in a ventilated place. The sun has the ability to eliminate bad odors.

How to wash pillows with lice?

• 1Vacuum all clothing items that may be involved. Lice as aspirated die.
• 2Wash it at high temperature. High temperatures kill lice.
• 3Repeat with all clothing until there are no signs of lice.