Choosing the perfect pillow for a good night’s sleep can be a chore in itself. There are so many bed pillows to choose from: feather pillows, down pillows, memory foam pillows, synthetic pillows, and the list goes on. Once you’ve found the perfect pillow, the last thing you want to do is throw it away because it’s stained. The best way to prevent dirt and stains on pillows is to use pillow covers, but that doesn’t always prevent stains. An expert explained how to remove yellowing from your pillow using specific cleaners with and without a washing machine.
How to remove yellow stains from pillows in the washing machine
While most pillows are machine washable, some require spot cleaning or dry cleaning only. Therefore, it is essential to check the care labels on your pillow before washing it in this manner.
Most of the time, you can wash polyester in the washer, but memory foam ones are a different story.
Tips Bulletin cleaning expert Joan Clark shared a solution that uses white vinegar to remove stains, which is also a great way to sanitize a mattress.
She said: “To whiten yellowed pillows, combine baking soda, vinegar, laundry detergent and dish detergent in a small container and stir.
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How to remove yellow stains from pillows without a washing machine
If your pillow’s care label requires hand washing for cleaning, hand wash a pillow with a mild detergent to remove yellow stains.
Joan advised, “To whiten pillows, fill a large tub with hot water and add a quarter cup of laundry detergent. To whiten heavily soiled yellow pillows, use a quarter cup of household bleach or a quarter cup of borax. Avoid using boiling water to prevent fiber damage.
Put your pillow in the soapy water and knead it gently with your hands to allow the detergent to work its way through the material. Remove the pillow and place it under cold running water to rinse away all soap residue and dirt.
The cleaning pro warned, “Do not wring the pillow to avoid damaging the microfibers. Gently squeeze the material to remove as much water as possible.
If the care label says not to dry your pillow in the dryer, let it dry outside, making sure to turn it over occasionally. For a pillow that’s safe to tumble dry, place it in the dryer on a low setting and add wool balls or tennis balls to fluff them up.
For those who prefer not to use bleach, Joan suggested applying a small amount of baking soda to the stain and using an old toothbrush to scrub with vinegar.
She said, “Use the vinegar-soaked brush to scrub the baking soda. Wipe off dirty residue with a damp cloth.
“You can also add the vinegar to a bottle sprayer and spray vinegar on clothes and baking soda. Let the chemicals fizz a little and scrub with the toothbrush.
“Baking soda and vinegar are a dynamite combination that removes all kinds of stains from a multitude of surfaces.”
While you should still wash pillows once in a while to keep them sanitized and stain-free, the expert noted that there are specific steps you can take to ensure they’re fresh between washes.
Joan said: “Make sure you wrap your pillows in a pillow protector as well as pillowcases. Change them once a week, as well as your bedding. If your pillows get particularly dirty from excessive sweating or other causes, change them twice a week.
While changing pillowcases, she suggested owners spray the surface of the pillow with laundry spray to keep them smelling fresh. This is also a great time to consider adding essential oils to the spray to promote good sleep, such as lavender and cedarwood scents.
The expert added: “It is essential to clean machine washable pillows with bleach at least twice a year. Always use the gentle spin cycle and rinse cycle when washing pillows. Use dishwasher detergent or mild laundry detergent to clean delicate pillows as needed to prevent yellow pillows.
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