Why wash pillows?
It doesn’t matter how carefully you take care of the pillow and how dense and high-quality bedding you use, the sleeping accessory still gets dirty. During sleep, particles of sweat and saliva, keratinized skin or cosmetics get into the filler. All this becomes an excellent nutrient medium for reproducing microorganisms dangerous to human health.
To ensure safety, there is nothing left but to wash the pillow. Experts advise to do this twice a year, but if the product is intended for a child or a sick person, you can do it more often.
Is it possible to wash the pillow: options for fillers
Today, manufacturers offer a lot of fillers for pillows, and not all of them can be washed. Cleaning and treatment options are usually indicated on the label, but if it has come off, complications can arise.
There are fillers on which washing has a favorable effect. They include:
- wool;
- fluff/feather;
- holofiber;
- bamboo;
- silk;
- synthepon
Such things are perfectly cleaned of dust, dry quite quickly and restore their properties. But there are a number of fillers for which washing is contraindicated:
- anti-stress silicone balls;
- cotton and wool;
- various foams, including “Memory”;
- natural – algae, buckwheat hulls, herbal mixtures, berry stones, etc.
The influence of water on such materials will not restore their properties, but will eventually spoil them. Cotton wool and cotton will clump together, natural components will crumble and lose their properties, foam will lose its elasticity and orthopedic qualities.
How to use a washing machine
Even if the material is not afraid of water, before washing the pillow in the washing machine, you need to find out whether it is possible to do it and how to prepare for the process. For example, products with silk filler should be washed exclusively by hand, otherwise it is easy to damage the delicate fibers and spoil the thing.
Pillows with down and feather filling
The most difficult thing is to wash feather products. Before washing the pillows, they must be unfolded, and the contents of the pillowcase should be placed in small bags specially sewn from calico or calico. Then fold the obtained “semi-finished products” into a drum, filling it by two-thirds, and add 2-3 tennis balls inside, which will prevent the filler from collapsing into a lump.
Set settings:
- washing mode “Delicate”, “Downy things”, “Bulky things” – each model has its own options;
- temperature not higher than 30°C;
- without wringing.
Instead of powder, it is better to use a liquid agent for wool or down (easy to find in the store), and you will have to rinse twice, or even three times.
After washing, the bags with the contents should be squeezed slightly with your hands, the lumps should be sorted through the pillowcase and laid out on a large, thick towel for drying. It is better to dry in a draft, away from direct sunlight, constantly turning the bags over and beating the contents with your hands. When all the filler dries, the down-feather mixture should be transferred from the bags back into a clean stuffer and sewn up.
Important moment! Gauze cannot be used for sewing bags, even in several layers. During washing, it will tear, and the feather mixture will be stuffed into the holes in the weave – the pillow can be thrown away!
Wool and bamboo
Pillows with such fillers are washed in the same way as feather ones. The contents can be processed rather than divided into several bags.
The water for washing should be warm, not higher than 40°С, the processing mode is “Delicate”. After washing, the product should be rinsed well from detergent residues, carefully squeezed by hand and placed to dry in a horizontal position.
Important moment! Do not use bleach to wash bamboo pillows, and do not use strong chemicals on wool.
Synthetic fillers
Now let’s figure out whether it is possible to wash a pillow in a washing machine if it is filled with synthetic material? It is possible, and in this case there are fewer restrictions. Synthetics withstand water temperatures of up to 60°C well, but it is better to read the label.
Despite the “fluffiness” and considerable volume, synthetic pillows are easily placed in the drum of the washing machine completely, and during washing, they almost do not clump together. But, if the product is too large, and the capabilities of the machine are not designed for heavy weight, it is better to separate the contents of the cover and wash each part separately. After the filler dries, it is connected again and actively beaten: the pillow will look like new.
There are also restrictions for washing synthetic pillows:
- they cannot be squeezed in a washing machine – only by hand and very carefully;
- it is necessary to dry the products horizontally so that the filler does not compress into a lump;
- you can use only soft, liquid detergents;
- will have to give up any bleaches and stain removers.
Following these simple recommendations will help keep your pillows perfectly clean for a long time. With proper care, they will last at least 3-5 years, and your sleep will always be comfortable and safe.
