How often should we wash our pillows?
Have you noticed a slight yellowing on your pillow when you’re changing your pillowcase? Do you get a stuffy nose at night? If you haven’t washed your pillow in a while or your pillow has never so much as seen the inside of your washing machine then now might be the time to do it!
It is recommended that pillows should be washed at least every six months but if you want them to look their best then consider washing them every three.
Your pillow could be making your allergies worse
If you don’t wash your pillow then over a period of two years, it will accumulate up to 1/3 of its weight in bugs and dust mites, their waste poo, and of course dead skin cells and general dust.
Dust mites are invisible to the eye and are actually quite harmless. They don’t bite but instead feed off dead skin cells which isn’t a problem in itself but the poo they produce contains a protein to which many of us are allergic.
How to wash your pillow
If your pillow still has the care label, read it and follow the instructions, but most synthetic fibre pillows can be washed in this way:
Select a cold or warm water gentle cycle. Throw in a cap full of liquid soap. Set on double rinse.
A cup of soda crystals in the washing machine instead of your usual detergent works well and will clean your machine at the same time.
Remove and tumble dry on a low heat and add dryer balls or a clean tennis ball in a sock whilst drying as this will prevent the pillow from clumping. If you don’t have a tumble drier then air dry outside or somewhere warm remembering to shake it from time to time whilst it’s drying.
When was the last time you washed your pillows?
Melina - Assistant Editor
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