How to Wash and Whiten Pillows

Reader Question:

How do you wash pillows? Mine are yellowed and past the point of needing it! I’m afraid the washing machine is going to make them lumpy. Please help!

Answer:

I’ve got some good news and some bad news. While you certainly can wash pillows and even restore their bright white (see my whitening solution below!), depending on the quality and type of pillow you own, you may or may not be able to avoid lumps. Personally I love cheap, flat pillows, but have never had good luck washing them! As you can see from the photos above, I was able to get the yellowing out, but it’s now a bit lumpy. On the flip side, I know from my dry cleaner days that natural fill pillows (down and feather) launder wonderfully, as long as you know what you’re doing! Let my walk you through the washing process.

How to Wash and Whiten Pillows, here’s what you’ll need:

• Laundry detergent (see how to make your own here)
• Bleach
• Super Washing Soda
• Dryer balls

Here what to do:

1. Check your pillow’s tag to be sure it is machine washable.
2. Set washing machine to Gentle/Delicate cycle, Medium Load, Hot water, and Extra Rinse if your washer has that option.
3. Begin filling machine with water, add detergent (half a measuring scoop full) and the following DIY whitening mixture: 3/4 Cup of Bleach and 1/2 Cup Super Washing Soda.
4. When detergent dissolves, add pillows. You will probably have to push them down into the water to get the air out of them. Wash 2 at a time to keep the washer balanced. If they don’t fully immerse in the water, half way through the cycle, flip them over.
5. Manually rerun the Rinse Cycle if your washer doesn’t have an Extra Rinse option.

And to Dry:

Place in the dryer with a few dryer balls and dry on low heat. It will take more than one drying cycle to get them completely dry, and up to 3 or 4 cycles if they’re down or feather. It’s really important that you get them all the way dry to avoid the growth of mold!

So, based on my personal experience with washing pillows, I don’t recommend wasting your time washing synthetic pillows. They will likely turn out lumpy. Prolong their life by using pillow protectors and frequently wash both protectors and cases. When they become soiled, throw the pillows out and spend $5 for a new one! If you have invested in down or feather pillows, definitely wash them using the instructions above!

What’s been your experience? Any luck washing synthetic pillows and having them turn out fine?

Kim

A Real-Life Housewife

Thank you Kim for this helpful tutorial! If you have a front loading washing machine click HERE to see how to wash your pillows.

 

For your convenience this post contains some affiliate links. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

 

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