Machine washing isn’t always the best option for some types of pillows, and circumstances at home may mean that occasionally, you aren’t able to use your washing machine as a cleaning option. Whatever the situation, if you need to clean your pillows without using a washing machine, there’s plenty you can do.
You should hand-clean your pillows differently depending on what you’re looking to clean. If you need to get rid of a stain, for example, you’ll use a different cleaning method to if you’re simply on a mission to de-dust your pillows. Stay tuned for our top tips for cleaning pillows at home, washing machine-free, for the removal of all the bad stuff.If you have children, or you’re simply a messy adult, there will most likely come a time in your life when you’ll need to remove a particularly gummy or gooey food from your pillow. Chocolate and chewing gum are the main offenders, but if these do end up on your pillows, it’s not the end.
One quick remedy for removing the initial gooiness is to place a bag of ice or frozen vegetables over the top of the mess, and leaving it in place until the material hardens. Then, using your fingers, move the fabric back and forth until the mess breaks free and crumbles away from the pillow.
You can use a spoon or a toothpick to scrape the remaining material free. Follow up with a general clean using warm water and soap.
After a few months of use, you might notice that your pillows begin to take on an unpleasant mildew odour. Check your pillow out – if it smells musty, chances are, it’s formed mould or mildew spots.
While the thought of sleeping on mould might be slightly horrifying, don’t be too quick to throw your pillows away. You’ll usually be able to remove the mould by sprinkling baking soda liberally all over the offending areas, before waiting two hours for the soda to absorb the odour and dry spores.
While we know that eating and drinking in bed isn’t advisable, it doesn’t stop the majority of us from doing it. Luckily, there are plenty of quick and easy stain-removal methods if you can’t use a washing machine – or if your washing machine is proving ineffective.
As soon as a spillage occurs, immediately blot up the offending liquid as quickly as possible with a paper towel. This will prevent it from soaking deep into your pillow.
Next, wipe the area down with a wet, white towel until you can no longer see the colour of the spillage, before blotting dry once more. If you can still see the colour, try dabbing a white towel in a warm water dish soap solution. Leave your pillow to dry outdoors.
Dust settles all around us, and while we may not even realise it, it’s important to remove it frequently to keep the air in our home environment healthy and allergen-free. If your pillows have been left in a dusty area without the protection of a pillowcase, it’s especially vital that you work to remove any dust that may have built up over time.
You should normally be able to get out the majority of dust by simply vacuuming your pillow. Use an upholstery attachment if you have one for better results. You can also use a crevice tool to get into the nooks and crannies, like the pillow’s decorative trim.
As for loose hairs or pet fur, you can’t go wrong with a lint roller for removing them. If you don’t own one, you can get the same effect by using a rubber glove to wipe down the pillow with your hand.
When your pillows need cleaning and a washing machine isn’t the answer, the tips mentioned in this video should help you immensely. If you’re simply looking to wash your pillow by hand, just fill a sink or bathtub with warm water that contains a gentle laundry detergent.
Add the pillow and massage it with your hands for a few minutes. This will remove dust mites from your pillow, give it a nice smell, and generally clean it all the way through.
Keep in mind that there are some instances where it may be time to throw out your pillow rather than attempt to clean it. If your pillow is compromising your sleep, it’s probably a sign that you need to switch it up for a new one.
Equally, if your pillow has large patches of damp and mould, it’s yellowed, or you simply can’t remember the last time you bought a new one, you should replace it pretty quickly. For the best pillow choices click here.
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