Nearly everyone uses bed pillows, and most sofas and couches sport pillows as well. Very large cushions can take the place of chairs. Keeping pillows clean can be difficult. Used for different purposes, they are sewn with an endless variety of coverings. Many pillows cannot be washed, due to the nature of their interior fillings or exterior fabrics. Find out which ones to wash and which ones to toss. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Sort Your Pillows Before Washing
1
Get your bed pillows together to see which ones are washable. Check the tags.
2
Select polyester, fiber-filled pillows with cotton or polyester covers. They are generally washable. Remove pillowcases and wash them separately.
3
Select certain orthopedic pillows, depending on their materials. Some foam or other molded pillows can be washed. Pillows filled with water, buckwheat or gel cannot be washed.
4
Sort through your throw pillows to see which ones are washable. Get care information from the tags.
5
Choose small, fiber-filled pillows with light cotton or polyester covers to machine wash. Decorative pillows, such as those covered with leather, very heavy cloth or beads, cannot be washed.
6
Choose large, heavy pillows for surface cleaning by hand. Their fillings are too dense to dry when wet.
Clean Pillows According to Type
7
Wash bed pillows in warm or hot water, according to their care tags, in a machine that is large enough to hold them. Use less detergent than you normally would.
8
Wash decorative pillows in warm or cold water, depending upon the cover fabric. Consult the care tags.
9
Dry all pillows thoroughly on medium heat, and then air-dry them until they are free of moisture.
