People who stay on top of household chores know it’s good to wash their bed linens at least once every week or so. Of course, this helps keep your pillowcases and sheets looking and smelling fresh while removing the dirt and germs that build up night after night. But there’s more to sanitizing your sleeping area than just swapping out your sheets: Experts also warn that you might not be washing your pillows often enough. Moreover, you may not know how to wash pillows correctly.
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How often should you wash your pillows?
iStock"People typically wash their clothes at least once per week and probably have more than one outfit," says Natalie Barret, cleaning supervisor and expert at Nifty Cleaning Services. "On the other hand, many people lay every night on the same pillow, and their [pillow] never gets the same care despite hours and hours of use."
According to Barret, you should wash your actual pillow at least every three to six months, though most people can get away with doing it about twice a year. However, some sleepers may want to bump that number up.
"If you sweat more during the night, have more sensitive skin, or have allergies, you should wash your pillows more often—about every three months or more if you feel the need," Barret says.
Even if it seems like your pillowcase is preventing your pillows from getting dirty, experts point out that this isn’t necessarily the case.
"Pillows are perfect hosts for debris, dead skin cells, sweat, moisture, skin oils, and so on," explains Alex Savy, a certified sleep science coach and founder of SleepingOcean. "If you leave all of that stuff be, it may attract dust mites. And sharing your sleeping space with those guys can cause allergies, itchy or watery eyes, skin rashes, and even increased risk of asthma."
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How to wash pillows in the washing machine
iStockHow you wash your pillow will ultimately come down to what it’s made of, explains Barret. Down and synthetic down pillows typically can be washed in your laundry machine, while foam pillows should only be spot-cleaned. This is especially true for dense memory foam pillows as they tend to absorb all the water in the wash cycle, likely ruining them for good.
"Read the tag first, as most manufacturers offer suggestions of the appropriate water temperature and washing cycle for each specific pillow type," Savy suggests.
According to a TikTok posted by Consumer Reports, assume that any pillows missing their washing information should only be spot-cleaned.
If your pillows are suitable for machine washing, it’s best to toss them in two at a time to help even out the load, along with two to three tablespoons of detergent.
Then, throw them into the dryer along with two dry bath towels to help ensure they’ll fully dry out to prevent mildew growth. Adding two tennis balls to the dry cycle can also help ensure they’ll be fluffy when they’re done, too, per Consumer Reports.
How to deep clean your pillows
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Want to ensure your pillows are getting really clean? In a recent video, popular TikTok cleaning and life hack expert @BrunchWithBabs7 showed how to fully “strip” your pillows and clean them even more deeply than a washing machine can.
Start by filling your bathtub with the hottest water possible. Then, add a quarter cup each of baking soda and Borax and two cups of liquid laundry detergent and stir them together. Then, put your pillows in the water and submerge them by punching them down with a wooden spoon.
A 24-hour soak session in the video shows how the tub water went from a light blue to a murky brown. “What you see here are body oils, excess detergent, fabric softener—everything your washing machine can’t get out,” she explains.
To finish, squeeze your pillows dry and throw them in the washing machine on a normal cycle without any detergent. She also recommends tossing in a few dryer balls or tennis balls to ensure your pillows fluff back up, too.
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How to know when it's time to replace your pillows altogether
iStockWhile regular washing can help prolong the life of your pillow, there are still a few solid signs it might be time to get a new one, including if you notice it's permanently stained or dingy.
Barret says any pillows that have formed a yellowish color that isn't gone after washing should be replaced.
And it's not just about what you can see: While some odors disappear when you wash your pillow, others may stick around. Savy says that lingering, stubborn odors are a "good sign that your pillow is probably way too old for you."
Additionally, the National Sleep Foundation has an easy test to see if you need a new pillow: Fold your pillow in half and see if it stays folded while you're not holding it. If it does, you need to replace it.
You can also check for any strange shapes. Savy says noticeable lumps in your pillows are a good sign they need to be replaced, and according to Barret, the same goes if your pillow feels too flat.
Always replace pillows that are two or more years old
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Finally, finding the perfect pillow can feel like making a match for life. But in a recent TikTok, Jason Singh, MD, a Virginia-based physician, explains that there’s still a shelf life for this special relationship.
“Pillows actually have an expiration date from a health perspective,” he says. “Over time, pillows become a haven for dust mites, which feed on dead skin cells that naturally shed from our bodies during sleep. These microscopic creatures and their fecal matter are potent allergens."
"Also, your sweat [and] your saliva—all that drool you’re putting on your pillow—creates an ecosystem of dust mites, fungus, [and] bacteria, which don’t just live on the surface of the pillow cover. They colonize the entire pillow, burrowing deep. And that’s why just changing the pillow cover doesn’t completely make it go away," he explains.
While he still recommends washing pillowcases and covers at least every two weeks, you should also fully replace the pillows themselves every two years.
