Many people know how important it is to wash their bedding regularly but may not realise that pillows also need to be cleaned to keep them hygienic to sleep on.
Pillows are often exposed to sweat, bacteria, drool and dust mites, which will cause bacteria to build up in the material and lead to big, unsightly yellow stains.
Jordan Reilly, a home expert and founder of Picklee has shared that through trial and error, she discovered the best way to whiten pillows, but one major mistake she made was trying to wash them with bleach.
She said: “My first inclination when mixing up my yellow pillow solution was to add bleach. It whitens everything, right? WRONG.
“Surprisingly, I found that although bleach may work on some types of stains, the chlorine in bleach can actually CAUSE linens to yellow and even make existing discolouration (from sweat) appear worse!”
Bleach should not be used to wash bedding. The harsh chemicals will react to the protein in organic stains like sweat and drool, worsening yellow stains and even making them impossible to remove.
Instead, Jordan has created a simple homemade solution for pillows that will be able to break down tough stains and get them “shockingly white” again.
How to remove stains from pillows and get them white again
You will need:
- 135g of washing soda
- 120g of white vinegar
- 240g of dishwasher detergent
- 50g of laundry detergent
- 700ml of hot water
Washing soda is one of the most effective natural cleaning solutions as it can easily break down acidic stains like sweat, which is the main cause of fabric turning yellow
Dishwasher detergent may seem unusual, but it has been designed to remove grease from dishes and is just as effective at removing similar tough stains on material.
White vinegar that you put on chips not only helps remove stains but is a natural fabric softener, so it will help pillows stay fluffy and soft in the wash.
Method:
All you need to do is fill a large basin with hot water and then pour the ingredients into the tub.
Once the water is soapy and all the ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together, place your pillows into the washing machine.
Pour the solution directly into the drum alongside the pillows in your washing machine as well.
Run a very hot cycle. If you have a sanitise setting on your washing machine, use that wash cycle.
Once the washing machine is done, hang the pillows up to dry or place them in a tumble dryer on a low heat setting.
Jordan said: “That’s it! Enjoy your fresh white pillows and notice how much fluffier they are too! I used the same solution to clean my pillowcases and white bed sheets too.”
