# How do you wash a pillow? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 12, 2010, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469 "2010-09-12T03:16:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/1 "2010-09-12T03:16:31Z")
What’s the best way to wash a bed pillow? Not feather or natural down, just a plain old pillow. When I do it in the washing machine, it’s impossible to make it stay underwater unless I spend 15 minutes trying to squeeze the air out of it, and after it’s all done in the dryer it’s usually lumpy. They’re so cheap that it’s not worth taking them to be dry cleaned when I could just buy new ones for less, but I don’t want to throw them away when they’re still fluffy. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/2 "2010-09-12T03:25:13Z")
Put them in the washer, then fill the washer. The pillow will absorb water as the washer fills, and won’t float as much. Don’t dry them in a dryer, hang them on a line or lay them in the sun. They won’t be as lumpy that way. ---
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/3 "2010-09-12T04:31:59Z")
> [@Mr.Accident](#): > > Put them in the washer, then fill the washer. The pillow will absorb water as the washer fills, and won’t float as much. > > Don’t dry them in a dryer, hang them on a line or lay them in the sun. They won’t be as lumpy that way. I use the dryer to restore the fluffiness. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/4 "2010-09-12T04:40:55Z")
> [@Mr.Accident](#): > > Put them in the washer, then fill the washer. The pillow will absorb water as the washer fills, and won’t float as much. They continue to float unless I stand there pushing them underwater while squeezing the air out. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/5 "2010-09-12T04:49:03Z")
In the washing machine; put towels or a comforter on top of them to help hold them down. Dry in dryer with a clean tennis ball to fluff. Or you can hang on the line, but mine always come out lumpy when I do that. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/6 "2010-09-12T04:56:53Z")
I wash mine in the washer and, like some of the previous posters, put towels on top of them. When I dry them, I use the air dry cycle and a pair of sneakers that I threw in the wash with them for fluffiness. ---
**Author:** ![Terry\_Kennedy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@Terry\_Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terry_Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/7 "2010-09-12T05:06:08Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > What’s the best way to wash a bed pillow? Not feather or natural down, just a plain old pillow. When I do it in the washing machine, it’s impossible to make it stay underwater unless I spend 15 minutes trying to squeeze the air out of it, and after it’s all done in the dryer it’s usually lumpy. They’re so cheap that it’s not worth taking them to be dry cleaned when I could just buy new ones for less, but I don’t want to throw them away when they’re still fluffy. Great timing, since I’m reading this right after I put pillows in the washer. 😃 My old experience was with a top-loading washer and matches yours - they are darned near unsinkable in their desire to float. It seems to be because the fabric they’re covered with is water-resistant. I was expecting a big fight with them in my new front-loading washer (since you can’t just open it at any time) but they soaked up the water nicely. Drying is another matter entirely - the dryer’s “moisture sensor” thinks they’re dry because the outer casing is dry, but they’re still heavy and smell like wet duck. :rolleyes: I wind up using the “timed drying” (which on my dryer only goes to 60 minutes, so it needs multiple cycles) to get them dry enough to use. So, my suggestion (if you don’t have a front-loading washer) is to wash them at a laundromat (which, in my experience, are universally front-loading), give them one dry cycle at the laundromat, then bring them home and dry them for as long as it takes in your home dryer (that way you won’t be continually feeding the laundromat’s dryer quarters). ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/8 "2010-09-12T05:12:04Z")
I know how you feel brother, but sometimes you just gotta let it go man. Throw them away, buy new, and sleep like a baby. ---
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/9 "2010-09-12T06:00:30Z")
If someone is allergic to detergent or just has a sensitive nose (hypothetical situation), do you all think that the rinse cycle really gets out all of the soap? I reluctantly go the new pillow route myself, but it’s not my first choice. ---
**Author:** ![Terry\_Kennedy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@Terry\_Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terry_Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/10 "2010-09-12T06:21:04Z")
> [@dzero](#): > > If someone is allergic to detergent or just has a sensitive nose (hypothetical situation), do you all think that the rinse cycle really gets out all of the soap? > > I reluctantly go the new pillow route myself, but it’s not my first choice. I use fragrance-free detergent / softener / etc. - if you’ve got really good pillows, they’re too expensive to just replace them every time. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/11 "2010-09-12T09:05:47Z")
Know anybody with a front-loading washer you could borrow? Or do you have a laundromat with front-loading machines nearby? I have a front-loading machine and haven’t had problems with pillows wanting to float. (Yes, you can borrow my machine for an afternoon, but the airfare might not be worth it to you.) As for drying, the trick with down-filled pillows and duvets is to put clean tennis balls in the dryer to bash the lumps out of the down. (The tennis balls can be old and deflated, they just need to be clean enough that you won’t be putting dirt back on your clean bedclothes.) I find this works nicely with synthetic fill, too. Buy a can of the cheapest brand you can find and keep them in the laundry room for future use. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/12 "2010-09-12T12:20:39Z")
Don’t use the machine. Fill a bath with soapy water, insert pillow. Push down so it absorbs water. Leave to soak for a few hours. Turn pillow over about every hour, so both sides get done. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/13 "2010-09-12T12:42:02Z")
I pre-wet the pillows in a sink, so they’re somewhat water-logged when put in the washer. This seems to avoid the floaties. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/14 "2010-09-12T14:17:37Z")
Is it a dumb question to ask why on earth you need to wash your pillows? I don’t wash, say, the mattress, because I sleep on the sheets. I put pillowcases on my pillows, so why would I wash them? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/15 "2010-09-12T14:23:32Z")
Some people (me, for instance) sweat a lot when they sleep, especially in warm climates, especially during summer. If we could wash our mattresses, we would. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/16 "2010-09-12T17:34:08Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Is it a dumb question to ask why on earth you need to wash your pillows? I don’t wash, say, the mattress, because I sleep on the sheets. I put pillowcases on my pillows, so why would I wash them? Because even with a protective pillowcase under the outer one, they get yellowed and ugly and smelly. They get drooled and sweated on during sleep. I probably need to wash them just every couple of years. And like I said, they’re cheap enough to replace, but I don’t like tossing them out when they’re still fluffy. You may not wash your mattress, but you probably wash the mattress cover. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/17 "2010-09-12T17:52:11Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Some people (me, for instance) sweat a lot when they sleep, especially in warm climates, especially during summer. If we could wash our mattresses, we would. I actually wash my pillows fairly often, at least monthly during the hot summer. My front loading washer handles the high quality foam pillows I use quite nicely but I’ve never really found a good way to machine dry them. ANY level of heat my dryer produces leaves a burnt foam smell in the pillow. The best way I’ve found is to just pull the pillow out of the washer, lay it out flat on a wire rack in my laundry room and let it air dry. Since this takes several days, I need to keep two full sets of pillows for my bed. One set freshly laundered and drying/dried and good to go on the rack and one set in service on my bed. ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/18 "2010-09-12T17:58:12Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Is it a dumb question to ask why on earth you need to wash your pillows? I don’t wash, say, the mattress, because I sleep on the sheets. I put pillowcases on my pillows, so why would I wash them? I’m so glad you asked! It’s never occurred to me to wash a pillow. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/19 "2010-09-12T18:13:43Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > I probably need to wash them just every couple of years. And like I said, they’re cheap enough to replace, but I don’t like tossing them out when they’re still fluffy. Google “replace pillows” (no quotes) and you’ll get a lot of hits on experts suggesting they should be _replaced_ every couple of years. > [@](#): > > …allergens such as dust mites, bacteria, mold and mildew, along with human factors such as perspiration and drool, can cause pillows to become unhealthy in two to three years. Then again, the expert quoted there is a representative for a bedding manufacturer. ---
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469/20 "2010-09-12T19:08:40Z")
For the mattress, I have a layer of memory foam covered with a mattress pad, covered by sheets. The memory foam I would imagine is impervious to anything but a sharp object. The mattress pad absorbs anything that gets through the sheets and can be washed along with them. You can also get mattress bags if you think there is a real danger of bugs taking up residence there. Avoid the plastic ones though since they don’t breath. The good, tightly woven kind are expensive though IIRC. I tried washing pillows once at a laundry place but I still had to throw them out since they were hopelessly lumpy. Of course the where cheap pillows so maybe I would have had better luck with something of better quality. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-wash-a-pillow/553469.md?page=2)