We all know that pillows tend to get dirty as natural body oils make their way towards the surface. The result after a few months of use is a discolored, yellowed pillow that just doesn’t look quite clean – even if you wash it often.
According to a study reported by CNN, you should wash bed pillows two to four times in a year, preferably even once every three months. Even if you wash your pillows thoroughly and often, the yellow color is pretty hard to remove – until now. Luckily, there are a lot of solutions to cleaning your stained pillows. Before thinking about throwing away or buying new pillows, try these ways to rescue your present yellowed pillows.
Yellow pillows
Treat yellowed pillows with liquid detergent and bleach. Run on a hot cycle with extra rinse.
The pillows will look as good as new afterwards:
Regular pillows
Although most people wash their pillowcases often enough, how many times have you washed your pillows? It’s pretty easy, so don’t hesitate to try it. Here’s what you’ll need:
– 1 cup powdered laundry detergent
– 1 cup powdered dishwasher detergent
– 1 cup bleach (or bleach alternative)
– 1/2 cup borax
First, soak your pillow in warm water for 30 minutes before adding the ingredients above, along with more hot water, to create a cleaning solution. Let your pillow soak in that for another 30 minutes. Then wash your pillow like normal in the machine and the stains will be gone.
Pillows that need extra care
If you have a pillow that can’t be thrown into the washing machine, like a down pillow, this is the solution you’re going to want to try. On the next sunny day lay your pillow out in the sun to lighten it, then add bleach or vinegar with a small toothbrush on the yellow spots. You can also apply baking soda to soak up any wetness and smells.
Microfiber and memory foam pillows
Another washing machine alternative is to just let your pillow soak. If you have a microfiber or memory foam pillow this is the best option for you. All you have to do is place your pillow in a bucket with warm water and detergent or your own solution (like the one listed above).
Sources: hometips.cooktopcove.com, homehacks.co
