To wash pillows safely, check the care label first. Most down, feather, and synthetic polyester pillows can be machine-washed on a gentle cycle with warm water and mild liquid detergent. However, memory foam and latex pillows must never be machine-washed and require spot-cleaning or professional care instead.
Every single night, your head rests on your pillow for hours at a time. During this time, the pillow accumulates an array of unsavory elements, including sweat, body oils, saliva, dead skin cells, cosmetics, and dust mites. While most people wash their pillowcases weekly, they often neglect the pillow itself. Over time, these contaminants penetrate the pillowcase and settle deep into the pillow’s filling, leading to yellow discoloration, unpleasant odors, and a buildup of allergens that can trigger nighttime congestion or skin breakouts.
Washing your pillows isn’t just about aesthetics; it is a vital part of healthy sleep hygiene and helps extend the lifespan of your bedding. For the full picture of what we clean and what it costs, see our laundry services and rates. However, different pillow fillings require vastly different cleaning methods. Using the wrong technique can permanently ruin your pillow’s structural integrity, turning a plush, supportive headrest into a lumpy, unusable mess. This comprehensive guide walks you through the precise steps to clean every type of pillow safely and effectively.
Can You Wash Pillows in a Washing Machine?
Yes, most down, feather, and synthetic pillows are safe to wash in a machine, but memory foam and latex pillows must never be submerged in water or put through a wash cycle.
The mechanical action of a washing machine—specifically the spinning and agitation—is excellent for breaking up dirt and flushing soapy water through loose, fibrous fillings. Down, feathers, and polyester fiberfill can withstand this movement, provided you use a gentle cycle. Front-loading washing machines or top-loading machines without a central agitator are highly recommended for this task. The large central agitator in traditional top-loaders can catch on the pillow’s fabric casing, causing tears, or compress the filling into permanent clumps.
If you must use a top-loader with an agitator, always wash pillows in pairs. Placing two pillows vertically on opposite sides of the agitator helps keep the machine balanced during the high-speed spin cycle. An unbalanced washing machine will not extract water efficiently, leaving your pillows waterlogged and highly susceptible to mold and mildew during drying.
How Do You Wash Down and Feather Pillows?
Wash down and feather pillows in pairs using a gentle, cold-water cycle, low-sudsing liquid detergent, and an extra rinse cycle to remove all soap residue.
Down and feather pillows are prized for their luxurious loft and natural insulation. Because these fillings consist of natural bird plumage, they require gentle care to prevent the delicate fibers from stripping or clumping. Before washing, inspect the pillow’s outer shell for weakened seams or small holes. If there’s even a tiny opening, feathers can escape during the wash cycle, which can ruin your pillow and potentially clog your washing machine’s pump.
When washing down and feather pillows, always use a mild, low-sudsing liquid detergent. Avoid powder detergents entirely, as they often fail to dissolve completely in a pillow’s dense interior, leaving behind a chalky, irritating residue. Do not use fabric softeners or bleach; fabric softeners coat the feathers and reduce their natural loft, while bleach strips the protective natural oils from the feathers, making them brittle and prone to breaking. Run an extra rinse and spin cycle at the end of the wash to ensure every trace of soap is thoroughly flushed out.
How Do You Wash Synthetic and Polyester Pillows?
You can machine-wash synthetic fiberfill pillows in warm water on a gentle cycle with a small amount of liquid detergent.
Polyester and synthetic fiberfill pillows are a common bedding choice because they’re affordable and easy to maintain. These pillows are highly durable and respond well to machine washing, but they can clump if subjected to excessive heat or harsh agitation. To keep the synthetic fibers smooth and evenly distributed, select a gentle or delicate cycle on your washing machine. Warm water is ideal for dissolving body oils and killing dust mites without damaging the synthetic fibers.
Like natural-fill pillows, wash synthetic pillows two at a time to maintain machine balance. Use a moderate amount of liquid detergent—roughly one tablespoon per load is sufficient. Excessive soap creates a heavy buildup that weighs down the polyester fibers, causing them to stick together and form hard lumps. After the cycle finishes, inspect the pillows. If they feel unusually heavy or squishy, run them through an additional spin-only cycle to extract as much moisture as possible before moving them to the dryer.
Why Must You Never Machine-Wash Memory Foam Pillows?
Memory foam acts like a giant sponge: it absorbs water, becomes too heavy, and the agitation cycle can tear and break the delicate foam structure.
Whether solid or shredded, memory foam is made of polyurethane, a material engineered to contour to your body. This dense, cellular structure is highly susceptible to water damage. When a solid memory foam pillow is submerged in water, it absorbs an immense amount of liquid. The weight of this trapped water, combined with the mechanical pulling and spinning of a washing machine, will shred the internal foam structure, leaving you with a cracked, useless block of foam. Furthermore, drying a saturated memory foam pillow is nearly impossible at home, creating a perfect breeding ground for mold deep inside the core.
To clean a memory foam pillow, you must rely on spot-cleaning and deodorizing. Remove the protective zippered cover and wash it in the machine according to its care label. For the foam core itself, sprinkle a generous layer of baking soda over the entire surface and let it sit for at least an hour to absorb odors and moisture. Vacuum the baking soda away using an upholstery brush attachment. If there are visible stains, gently dab them with a clean cloth dampened with a mixture of water and a tiny drop of mild dish soap. Never wring or squeeze the foam; instead, press down gently with a dry towel to absorb excess moisture, then let the pillow air-dry completely in a well-ventilated room away from direct sunlight.
Can You Put Pillows in the Dryer?
Yes, down, feather, and synthetic pillows can be dried on low heat with dryer balls to restore loft, but memory foam must only be air-dried to prevent fire hazards.
Drying is the most critical step in pillow cleaning. If you return a pillow to your bed while even slightly damp, mold, mildew, and bacteria will begin to multiply within hours, creating musty odors and health hazards. Dry down, feather, and synthetic pillows on a low-heat or air-fluff setting. High heat can scorch natural feathers and melt synthetic polyester fibers, causing permanent clumping. Expect this process to take several hours; down pillows, in particular, require patience to dry completely.
To prevent the filling from clumping together during the drying cycle, place two or three clean tennis balls or wool dryer balls into the dryer drum. As the dryer spins, these balls will continuously beat against the pillows, breaking up clumps of wet feathers or fibers and restoring the pillow’s original loft. Every thirty minutes, pause the dryer, remove the pillows, and hand-fluff them vigorously to redistribute the filling. Never dry solid memory foam or latex pillows; high heat can degrade the polyurethane, causing it to crumble, melt, or even ignite.
How Often Should You Wash Your Pillows?
Wash your pillows at least two to three times per year, or every four to six months, to remove sweat, dead skin cells, and dust mites.
While you should wash pillowcases weekly and zippered pillow protectors monthly, the pillow itself only needs deep cleaning a few times a year. If you suffer from severe seasonal allergies, asthma, or skin conditions like acne, you may want to increase this frequency to every three months. Regular washing prevents allergen buildup and keeps the filling from breaking down prematurely from the corrosive effects of body oils and sweat.
Between washes, you can keep your pillows fresh by airing them out. Hanging your pillows on an outdoor clothesline on a sunny, breezy day allows natural ultraviolet light to sanitize the fabric and eliminate lingering odors. Alternatively, run your pillows through a twenty-minute air-fluff cycle in your dryer to shake out loose dust and restore their bounce. To make your overall laundry routine even easier, read our tips on preparing your wash for pickup and delivery.
When Should You Use a Professional Laundry Service for Pillows?
Choose a professional laundry service when your home washing machine is too small to balance the load, or when you have delicate specialty fills that require commercial-grade extraction.
Many residential washing machines, especially compact models or those with central agitators, lack the drum capacity or water-extraction power to handle bulky household items like pillows. Forcing large pillows into a small machine can damage the appliance’s suspension or leave the pillows soaking wet and ruined. Professional laundry facilities utilize high-capacity, front-loading commercial washers and advanced extraction cycles that remove the maximum amount of water, ensuring a safe, thorough clean and a much faster, safer drying process.
At Village Launderette, we handle delicate bedding and household items with the utmost care. Our regular wash and fold service is priced at $1.30 per pound for drop-off (10-pound minimum) or $1.60 per pound for pickup and delivery (20-pound minimum). Synthetic and memory foam pillows fall under our household items rate: $2.00 per pound for drop-off (10-pound minimum) or $2.60 per pound for pickup and delivery (15-pound minimum). Down pillows and other down-filled items are priced separately, at $4.50 per pound for drop-off (3-pound minimum) or $5.50 per pound for pickup and delivery (6-pound minimum). For a complete breakdown of our professional rates, view our wash and fold pricing guide. We proudly serve local residents through our dedicated service areas, including our laundry delivery in Scarsdale and our laundry delivery in Bronxville.
| Pillow Type | Machine Washable? | Recommended Cycle | Drying Method | Wash Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Down & Feather | Yes | Gentle / Cold Water | Low Heat with Dryer Balls | Every 4–6 Months |
| Synthetic / Polyester | Yes | Gentle / Warm Water | Low Heat with Dryer Balls | Every 4–6 Months |
| Memory Foam (Solid) | No | Hand Spot-Clean Only | Air Dry Only | Spot Clean as Needed |
| Latex | No | Hand Spot-Clean Only | Air Dry Only | Spot Clean as Needed |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my pillow is ready to be replaced instead of washed?
You can test your pillow’s resilience by folding it in half; if it stays folded and doesn’t spring back to its original flat shape, the filling has broken down, and you should replace the pillow.
Can I use bleach to remove yellow stains from my pillows?
While bleach can whiten fabrics, it is too harsh for down, feathers, and synthetic fibers, so use an enzyme-based spot treatment or a mild oxygen bleach alternative to lift yellow sweat stains.
Why do my pillows smell worse after washing them?
A musty smell after washing indicates the interior filling is still damp, which allows mold and bacteria to grow; return the pillows to the dryer on low heat until they are completely dry to the core.
Is it safe to wash memory foam pillows that contain shredded foam?
Some shredded memory foam pillows are labeled as machine-washable, but you must check the manufacturer’s care label carefully, as many still require hand-washing or professional care to prevent the foam from clumping.
How do wool dryer balls help when drying pillows?
Wool dryer balls physically bounce against the pillows during the cycle, breaking up wet clumps of feathers or synthetic fibers, allowing warm air to circulate more efficiently and reducing overall drying time.
Should I keep the zippered protector on the pillow when washing it?
No, you should always remove the zippered pillow protector and wash it separately from the pillow itself to ensure that both items are thoroughly cleaned and dried.
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