Why does my pillow stink

To keep them fluffy, throw in a couple of tennis balls to maintain the shape throughout the cycle. Some outdoor and throw pillows also fall into the spot-clean only category. If the instructions say that your pillow can be hand washed, follow our four simple steps to get your pillows looking brand new again! Step 1: Remove your pillow from the protective cover and spot clean stains with a baking soda and water paste.

Be sure to spray lightly and let the mix stand for five minutes before blotting the pillow dry with a towel. Step 2: Set your pillow in the sun to help lighten any discolored spots. Using a toothbrush, apply bleach or vinegar to treat deep yellow stains. Baking soda can also be used to soak up dampness and odor. Step 3: Hand wash water-safe pillows in a basin with warm water and gentle detergent.

Squeeze your pillow to help the detergent work its way through the material. Avoid harsh cleaning methods like intense rubbing or wringing, which can cause damage to foam or tear the netting around the pillow. Finally, rinse the pillow under cool water and squeeze the water out. Step 4: Lay the pillow flat and allow to air dry on a ventilated surface. Washing our pillows never crossed my mind — I figured as long as I was regularly washing the cases, I was getting rid of all the ick that can get onto the cases.

It keeps going, past your pillowcase, and seeps right into that beloved pillow of yours that likely has never or very rarely been washed. There were two reasons why our pillows never got washed. The first was: It never crossed my mind. I thought if I were to dare wash our pillows, they would end up coming out of the washer and dryer all clumpy and ripped, with moisture trapped in the thick stuffing causing mold to grow. Yeah, I was slightly paranoid and thought our pillows were one of the most fragile objects in our house… or I was just too lazy to be bothered with cleaning them.

Who knows. Your pillows should be getting a well-deserved cleaning twice a year. Of course, you will still want to be washing your pillowcases, along with the rest of your sheets, every week, and you should be washing your pillow protector once a month. Some pillows, for instance, such as memory foam pillows, should not be washed in a washing machine.

If your pillow smells like vinegar afterward, simply run it through your washing machine with a pleasant-smelling detergent. You can also sprinkle in a little baking soda during the washing cycle to help lift away any remaining vinegar odors. After soaking the sheets in vinegar, for colorfast sheets, add hot water and detergent to the washing machine. Water that exceeds degrees Fahrenheit kills any existing bacteria. When washing pillows, Good Housekeeping recommends placing two pillows in the washing machine at a time to keep the machine balanced properly.

If the odor still remains after washing, wash a second time without detergent. To keep your pillows smelling fresh, try these washing tips. All pillows have some type of filler: polyester, foam, down feathers to name a few. The agitator beats the filler and displaces it within the pillow.

And once that happens, it is not easy to re-arrange to its original shape. Front-loaders sometimes have a problem with the balance of the load, causing it to not clean as well or not spin out the final rinse water as well. It is much better to wash more than one pillow at the time. So skip the fabric softener for the pillows. Bleach is an excellent sanitizer, so it is certainly appropriate to use it in the washing of pillows. We all know by now the fabulous cleansing properties of the sun.

You can lay them on a towel in the grass or on your back deck — wherever the sun is shining the brightest. Putting them outside in the heat of the day is best. Maintenance is so much easier than going through these steps frequently. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information. Pillow protectors. They are your best friends for keeping your pillows smelling fresh.

They are especially helpful if you have an oily-headed child or husband. Make sure you change the pillow protectors every single time you change the sheets.

This is key to preventing a smelly pillow. Note: Unless you have allergy problems, make sure you buy the ones that are all cotton. The allergy brand feels and sounds like paper. I speak form experience.. I have two sets of sheets for each bed in my house, and a set of pillow protectors folded into each one of those sets. I hate having to scramble around for things and I love it when everything is in its place! Using this method ensures that every pillow has a protector and I never have to go searching for one.