Learning how to wash pillows can save you a lot of money. Pillows consist of a fabric envelope, which can be plain or even patterned containing soft stuffing, typically synthetic. After nights and nights of use, your once-comfortable cushion can feel more like a flat board than a fluffy resting place for your head.
Cushions usually become stale and musty-smelling resulting in allergies. You necessarily don’t have to throw your used flat board pad away, but instead, you can wash it to make your padding comfortable and feel like new again.
Listed below are procedures on how to clean different types of pillows
How to Wash Feather Pillows
These bolsters are normally soft and well-appointed and the need to take good care of them should be headed by washing them after every six months once a year. Washing the feather pillows helps in killing dust mites and bacteria. It also cleans off dust, dirt, sweat, and oils that have hidden in the padding.
Washing feather cushions is easy as it brings back vitality, making them fluffy as they were new, unlike other cushions feather pads come out of the washing machine beautifully and they can fit in any washing machine size.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1:
Separate the pillow out of the case this can be done if the pad is inside a cushioned protector which is either a zippered or a padded pillowcase.
- Step 2:
Look for tears or holes in the casing to repair them this prevents feathers from coming out when cleaning
- Step 3:
Launder the bolster in a washing machine with less amount of laundry detergent than you normally would. This helps to reduce the built-up residue, put warm water set on a gentle cycle. To balance the machine wash two paddings at a time if unable to fit the pillows squeeze them first as it helps in getting the air out
- Step 4:
Rinse the pad by running it through the washing machine in cold water. This can be done two to three times .the first rinse is for removing the detergent .if hand washing rinse the pillow in a tub full of cold water three times changing the water after each rinses Gently squeeze the padding to remove the detergent. Using your hands gently squeeze out the excess water from the cushion
- Step 5:
Dry the feather padding in a dryer setting it to the medium-high heat removing it after every thirty minutes to shake it.This enhances the feathers to fluff up.if air drying the feather pillow hang it by one end of the cloth line using a clothespin to attach it.
How to Wash Down Pillows
Down filled cushions are soft and luxurious to sleep on. Filled with poultry feathers from goose and ducks they are not filled with synthetic fiber hence more expensive.They thus require a lot of care to keep them fresh and clean.
It’s not advisable to clean these cushions regularly but by doing a few things one can freshen them .this includes Checking labels for instructions given; this ensures that the content is fine washed in water and the fabric case is dry cleaned only.
One should note that it is best to follow the instructions listed on the label and follow the manufacturer’s advice for better results. Down pillows are better off when hand washed, but they can also endure the spin cycle of the washer prior to being tossed in the dryer.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1:
Repair any weak seams and rips before washing to prevent the worn out the part from becoming bigger and most probably beyond repair.
- Step 2:
Fill the washing machine with the pillows making sure that the appliance is large enough to hold the items as Laundering them in a machine that’s too small can cause damage to the pillow.
- Step 3:
Set the temperature to warm and the machine to a moderate delicate cycle. Using a detergent that is not heavy as it can ruin your pad use a mild one and add water .wait for a few minutes before inserting your beddings as it helps in diluting and distributing the soap evenly. This is mainly for mechanical washing.
- Step 4:
For the manual washing, you need something spacious enough to hold your pillow, in this case, a bathtub is highly recommended. Fill the bathtub with water to do the washing, add detergent that is not heavy in this case a mild detergent is safe and stir up the water so that the soap is dissolved. Insert your pad in and start washing it. Remember this should be done gently to avoid damaging the down cushion.
How to Wash Throw Pillows
Throw cushions also known as toss pillows, are mainly for decorative purposes on furniture therefore not designed for support or comfort. Made from a stuffed inner case or foam, inside a decorative cover which is washable the method used to clean depends on whether the pillow is filled with natural or polyester fibers, or if it’s made of foam.
Fiber-Filled Pillow
- Step 1:
Separate the padding from the case, if the case is not machine washable.
- Step 2:
Fill the washing machine with warm water and dissolve a mild detergent as recommended on the label for the fiber-filled throw pillows.
- Step 2:
Put the pillow and the washable case in the wash water. On the gentle cycle was it for eight minutes.
- Step 4:
Set up the machine dial to indicate the rinse cycle. Place the cushion in the rinse cycle with warm water three times to make sure all cleansing agent residues are removed.
- Step 5:
Machine-dry the throw pad until the filling is dry enough on the low-heat gentle cycle removing it and fluffing it to avoid clumping. Air-dry the padding.
Foam Pillows
- Step 1:
Separate the covering and the padding. Following given instructions on spot washing or machine, washing Wash the covering gently.
- Step 2:
Submerge the foam insert in a sink full of warm water mixed with a mild detergent. Squeeze it so the water evenly spreads into the pillow.
- Step 3:
Fill a sink with clean water and submerge the pad. Squeeze it to remove the detergent. Changing the water two or more times continue squeezing until all detergent has cleared
- Step 4:
Using two towels squeeze the foam insert to remove water. Air-dry the pillow flat for two to three days until no moisture remains.
Spot Cleaning
- In a bowl of warm water put 1 tablespoon of mild laundry detergent to dissolve
- Moisten a rag in the solution blotting the stained sections of the throw pillow case with the damp cloth and remove the dirt or stain from the fabric.
- In clear water rinse the rag and wring it out. Blot the pillow to remove all detergent left.
Throw pillows are simple but can add personality to a room. They provide texture, color, style, and comfort without demanding you much. Mostly, they require less maintenance. However, as time goes by, they are known to accumulate dead skin cells, dirt, and dust.
This can be a big problem for an allergic person. What most people choose to do is wash the pillow covers, which is a temporary solution. Washing the throw pillow whole is the best thing. But also, you have to abide by the manufacturer’s maintenance guidelines. Otherwise, you might be doing more harm than good.
How Often Should You Wash Your Pillow?
With the knowledge of how to wash and clean your pillows, one may wonder how often cleaning should be done. This will mainly depend on how frequently the pillow is being used .if one is sleeping on it every fortnight then it should be cleaned.
If it’s a throw cushion for decorative purposes and sits on a piece of furniture that is hardly used and has a cover on it then washing the cushion may not be done frequently. Again, you can consider the material that is in your pillow to get the best idea on when to clean it.
- Foam – as most foam paddings don’t actually get washed, one should consider cleaning it on a monthly basis to get the longest life out of your pillow as possible.
- Synthetic Fiber & Down Feathers – wash it after six months or once per year this depends on the person using it
There being no definite solution on how regularly cushions should be washed a person instincts should be the solutions. This goes with the advice of using a shielding pillow cover to help in keeping it clean and fresh
The Wrap Up
Research done is that you should wash your pillows at least two times in a year, and replace them after 18 months of use. This is mainly due to the following reasons. They’re full of dust mites, psychologically this causes torture and the presence of dust mites will compromise the state of the pillow.
The second reason is that the padding is dirty and stained from sweat and oil. The third reason is that the pillow smells; so, freshening it up improves your health and hygiene. It is highly recommended that care instructions that tell you how to wash your pillows included on the tag should be followed.
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