Many people don’t clean their pillows regularly, but they are just as important as other bedding because they can quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria and become stained.
Pillows often get stained after the end of summer, because sweat accumulates in the fabric and over time, the moisture leaves behind salt, which causes it to turn a greasy yellow.
Fortunately, Katie Berry, cleaning expert and founder of Housewife How Tos, has shared that it’s easy to clean pillows as long as you don’t use bleach and use a home remedy instead.
Katie explained: “Bleach doesn’t remove grease. In fact, it can make the stain more stubborn – even permanent. So this is how I finally got my dirty pillowcases clean again.
“This method is just as effective as strip washing, but it won’t leave your pillowcase feeling thin or rough.”
What are the best ingredients for cleaning pillows?
It may sound strange, but items in your kitchen like dish soap and baking soda are the most effective solutions for cleaning pillows.
The dishwashing detergent is designed to break down grease, making it perfect for removing sweat and body oil stains, the most common cause of pillow soiling.
Baking soda has mild bleaching properties that lift yellow stains, returning the pillow to its original color.
Plus, baking soda is a natural deodorizer, which means it breaks down any acidic substances that cause bad odors, leaving your pillow smelling fresh again.
How to bleach pillows and clean them again
You will need:
- 60 ml dishwashing liquid
- 240 g of baking soda
- Hot water
- 480 ml of white vinegar
Method
All you have to do is fill your sink or bathtub with very hot water and then add baking soda and dish soap.
Swirl the water around until the baking soda is completely dissolved, then submerge the pillow.
Grab your pillow and rub it with your hand, or if you have two pillows, rub them together until you’ve given them a good scrub.
Empty the sink or bathtub, fill it with clean water and add a few drops of dishwashing liquid. Let the pillow soak in the solution for at least an hour, but preferably overnight.
When the time is up, rinse the pads thoroughly with hot water until there is no soap residue left and the water is clear.
Finally, wash the pillows in a hot wash and rinse program with regular laundry detergent, but do not use fabric softener.
Instead, you can add white vinegar to the detergent compartment of your washing machine where you normally add fabric softener, as vinegar is antibacterial and also helps break up and dissolve stains.
Katie said: “The vinegar in this final step will remove any lingering greasy residue and kill odours, so don’t skip it. If your machine has one, use another cycle.”
