Sheets, towels, iron
How to Wash Pillows Without Flattening Them
Every 3–6 months, two at a time, 40C, extra rinse, dry until the core is hot-dry. Foam is a different object. A protector is cheaper than a wash.
Updated 27 Aug 2026 · 6 min read · how to wash pillows
What can go in the drum
Down and feather: yes, if the ticking is sound. Polyester cluster and hollowfibre: yes. Buckwheat, millet, memory foam, shredded foam, latex: no machine. A 50C “hygiene” cycle on foam tears it. If the label forbids water, believe it.
Strip the protector. Wash that with the bedding. The pillow itself is the slower object.
| Fill | Machine? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Down / feather, 600+ fill-power | Yes, 40C, extra rinse | Dry completely or it mildews |
| Polyester clusters | Yes, 40–60C | Loft returns if you dry with balls |
| Shredded memory foam | Usually no | Spot-clean; some zipped cases wash |
| Solid foam / latex | No | Wipe, air 4–6 h; protector does the hygiene |
| Buckwheat hulls | No | Sun the hulls; wash the case |
The wash and the dry
Two pillows, mild detergent, extra rinse — leftover soap is what makes them rancid. A front-loader is kinder than a top-loader agitator. Dry with wool balls, pause, punch the corners, resume. If the core is cool, it is wet. Same discipline as washing a duvet.
Protectors make this boring, which is the point
A cotton protector at 200–300 count, washed weekly or fortnightly, keeps sweat out of 700-fill down. $15–$30. That is cheaper than a $120 pillow every 18 months. When the pillow still folds in half and stays folded after a correct wash, retire it — how often to replace pillows.
Questions, answered
- Can I wash pillows with the duvet?
- Only in a large enough drum. A duvet plus two pillows in 7 kg is a wet lump. Laundromat: yes, together. Home: pick one job.
- They smell after washing.
- Not dry, or detergent left in. Re-rinse, dry hotter-longer (still not scorching down), air in sun if you have it.
- Is a hot 90C cycle more hygienic?
- It is more destructive. 40–60C plus a dry that finishes kills what you care about on a household pillow. Hospitals are a different protocol.
