Q&A for How to Wash Pillows

Optional, you'll just have to beat them around a bit to fluff them after they're dry.

You can check the percentages, but most bleach brands are the exact same.

Yes. Air dry in a warm place, preferably in the sun after drying. You will have to shake it up afterwards to make it more usable.

No, you can't. Doing this would result in your memory foam pillows coming apart.

You must not have washed them by hand. If you put it in a washing machine, that's what happens.

The stitching may have been weak, or you may have too powerful a washer. Before putting them in the washer, pull around the sides of the pillow next time and check that they don't have holes etc., or that they don't feel like they'll come apart easily.

Even though it'd be awesome starting out every week with a fresh, clean pillow, you do not have to do this. Some people don't even wash their pillows once a year, or at all for that matter. You really only need to wash them if they smell or appear too dirty.

Being washed with the blankets, the pillows may not get rinsed properly. If you have to wash them together just make sure the pillows are completely rinsed, and then dry them separately.

Depends on what you mean by crust. If you have stains involving blood, peroxide makes a good cleaner. The suggested 1 cup powdered dishwasher detergent, 1 cup bleach, and ½ cup of borax should get the job done.

If you need to wash beaded pillows, you should do it by hand so the beads don't come loose.

Wash it by hand and be careful of the stitching.

No, they are too large and misshapen. Substitute bouncy balls or similar small balls.

Choose a warm day and line dry as much as possible. Finish in the tumble if required. Or, air in a warm room.

Yes. Clip the pillows to a clothes hanger with sturdy clothes pins and hang them in a sunny place to let them dry.

Go to a dollar general or some similar store and get pet toys that come in three packs, for like a dollar. Or, they probably have tennis balls too.

Bleach is usually your friend when it comes to yellow stains. Just use the amount recommended for clothes on the back of the bottle.

Your pillow should have washing instructions on the tag.

Yes. Use the same method as the memory-foam pillow. Thoroughly rinse the pillow to remove all the detergent to prevent any stale smells from forming. If you can, use a dryer to remove all the moisture.

Try hitting your pillows against a wall or place them under a rather large, heavy object.

Down pillows are feather pillows. Down is simply the kind of feather that is used in feather pillows.

Yes, you can.

They'll be fine using the first method listed here. You can check the labels first to see if they have any special instructions; otherwise machine washing will cause no issue.

No, never ever use dishwasher detergent on clothes or any kind of fabric, just use regular laundry detergent. If you have sensitive skin or are allergic to some washing detergent, then go for the non-bio powder.

No, you still need to do two pillows. The washer spins fast and needs to be balanced.

Using a long needle and thick thread, loosely baste stitch across the pillow longways. Usually 3 rows are enough. Leave 2-3 inches of thread hanging loose at each end. When the washing cycle is finished, remove the basting and air dry, or leave the stitching in to machine dry. The basting helps keep the cotton intact and in position.

They should be washed on a weekly basis with your sheets.

No, you simply wash them with the tennis balls to shorten their time in the dryer and fluff them up a bit.

If they are decorative pillows with a permanent casing, you will probably want to wash them by hand.

To avoid an unbalanced spin cycle, put 2 in at a time. If you have a big washing machine, you can add 2 more on top of it.

One on top around the circle, the other around the bottom, this allows maximum absorption for this type of machine. May require an extra rinse and dry cycle.