‘Excellent natural cleaner’ that removes yellow stains from pillows
Lynsey Crombie shares how to check if you need new pillows
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Pillows are among the most-used objects in your home. Every night, you use a pillow to cushion your head, leaving behind hair, dead skin, and more, including makeup, sweat, and dirt. As you can imagine, over time, these things begin to build up, leading to once-pristine pillows turning yellow. While you could toss your yellowed pillows in favour of new ones, you can clean, whiten and breathe life back into old, yellowed pillows by washing, treating, and maintaining them.
Martin Seeley, the CEO and sleep expert at MattressNextDay, said: “A study found that not washing your pillows or their covers can lead to up to 16 different species of fungus building up – triggering allergic reactions or infecting your lungs or other organs. You should, therefore, clean your inner pillows every six months – with the clear change in seasons serving as a reminder.
“Plus, as the average person spends a third of their life in bed, your pillow naturally becomes home to bacteria, dead skin cells and dust – all of which can cause acne flare-ups and more. You should, therefore, wash your pillows every three months in the washing machine, however, make sure to check their wash label to see what wash suits them best.”
Lucy Ackroyd, head of design at Christy, agreed: “Pillows should be washed every three months as, similar to bedding, they contain a build-up of sweat and dead skin.
“Most good quality ones will be able to endure several washes without going lumpy, but be sure to check the care label, as synthetic and feather pillows can be washed at slightly different temperatures.”
Pillows can be a bit tricky when it comes to laundry. They are smaller than other pieces of clothing and require the right amount of heat to clean properly.
The “first thing” Martin suggested that households should do is check the care label on the pillow and follow the manufacturer’s instructions as some pillows may be more delicate than others and require special handling.
The expert has shared a few “general rules” for washing pillows, depending on the type. For down pillows Martin suggested placing them in the washing machine, but they should have their recommended temperature guide written on the label.
He said: “When washing them, make sure to use a mild washing powder and include an extra spin cycle at the end to get rid of as much moisture to prevent the build-up of mould.”
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For feather pillows, these can be washed the same as down pillows, however, they should receive a gentle cycle setting due to being made of natural materials. Do, however, check the care label for full instructions.
Unfortunately, the majority of memory foam pillows can’t be placed in the washing machine so instead they are better off being hand washed in a bathtub with water and a mild detergent.
When it comes to removing built up stains from pillows – specifically the yellow ones – the first step is to wash the pillow with warm water using a gentle detergent or mild soap solution.
Next you need vinegar to remove the stains. Martin explained: “White vinegar is an excellent natural cleaner that helps remove yellow stains from pillows easily without harming its fabric or design pattern.
“All you need to do is mix equal quantities of vinegar and water in a spray bottle and spray it on the stained areas of your pillow. Allow it to dry completely before using the pillow again.
“What many people don’t know is that acidity in vinegar also acts as a superb deterrent against dust mites. Not only does it repel dust mites, but it breaks down the proteins in their droppings, which are responsible for the allergens that many sleepers react to.”
Lucy also agreed with using white vinegar to remove the stains, but also noted that “this will help to disinfect pillows” too.
She suggested that households could also add their favourite essential oils to prevent pillows from holding on to the smell of the vinegar.
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She said: “Lemon is great for whitening, whereas lavender is the perfect soothing scent to help you relax at night.”
When pillows and bedding is between washes, Martin recommended using baking soda to refresh them. He said: “You may have seen online hacks on how to clean your bed with bicarbonate soda. Although it’s found its place on the Internet, this tip has been used for decades to freshen up pillows that may smell a little past their sell-by.
“The trick is to sprinkle yours with bicarbonate of soda and leave it for a few hours. Bicarbonate soda is incredibly absorbent and will soak up sweat residue and associated odours. After a few hours, vacuum the powder up.”
As for drying your pillow, the expert explained that memory foam pillows need to be air dried, however, most down and feather pillows can be placed in a dryer on an air-dry setting, or the lowest setting available. Martin added: “You should, however, add a tennis ball to a sock and place this in the dryer too – as it can beat out any lumps.”
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