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Did You Clean That? · No. 05

Pillows: the one-page checklist

Things everybody uses. Almost nobody cleans.

Check these parts

  • Care label
  • Fill material
  • Seams
  • Any foam core

What you need

  • The care label on the pillow
  • Mild detergent
  • Dryer balls or clean tennis balls, if the label allows machine drying
  • A vacuum with an upholstery attachment for foam

Do it in this order

  1. 01. Read the label. Then read it again. This is the whole job. Everything below is only valid if your label agrees.
  2. 02. Down and down alternative. Often machine washable on a gentle cycle with mild detergent. Wash two at a time to balance the drum. Dry low with dryer balls, and keep going until the core is bone dry.
  3. 03. Polyester fill. Usually the most forgiving. Gentle cycle, warm water, low-heat dry with dryer balls to break up clumps.
  4. 04. Memory foam. Do not put it in the washing machine. Vacuum it, spot-clean with a barely damp cloth and mild soap, then let it air dry completely out of direct sun.
  5. 05. Latex. Same as foam. Spot-clean only, air dry, never wring or twist. Latex tears.
  6. 06. Dry it longer than you think. A pillow that feels dry on the outside and is damp in the middle is how you end up with mildew.

Don't do this

  • · Don't assume every pillow belongs in the washing machine. Foam and latex do not.
  • · Don't use high heat on synthetic fill. It melts and clumps.
  • · Don't wring a wet pillow. You'll destroy the fill distribution.
  • · Don't put a damp pillow back on the bed.

Know when to stop

If the pillow is lumpy, yellowed through, or folds in half and stays there, it's finished. Cleaning won't bring it back. Replace it.

LaLa says

“That pillow has heard every thought you've had since 2019. The least we can do is check the care label.”