Do you ever wake up to a pillow that smells and looks foul? If so, you are not alone. Pillows are important because they help keep your head in alignment with your spine. They also provide the head with a comfortable place to rest. With that said, a dirty pillow can alter your normal sleeping patterns, cause unhealthy skin, and impact your overall health. At this point, you may be under the impression that tossing the pillow in the trash is your only option. Hold on a minute and give it some thought before you take such drastic actions. Let’s see how we could have prevented this from happening in the first place. Below, you will find a list of tips to help you keep your pillow fresh and clean.
Routine Washing
While it is not always recommended to wash some pillows, it is sometimes a necessity. Many brands do not recommend machine-washing because it damages the filler inside the pillows. Unfortunately, this is the only true way to clean a pillow thoroughly. The best way to protect your pillow when machine-washing is to utilize the gentle cycle. This cycle is specifically designed for delicate items, such as a pillow.
Once you remove the pillow from the washer toss it in the dryer for a few spins. It shouldn’t take more than five minutes for the pillow to fully dry. Again, avoid the maximum heat setting. Instead, select the coolest temperature setting to ensure the integrity of the filler.
Never Apply Moisturizers Before Bedtime
Facial moisturizers and oils can take a toll on any pillow. Regardless of the design of the pillow, these products can penetrate the materials, resulting in oily stains and foul odors. The best option here is to avoid utilizing moisturizers before bedtime. Clean your face thoroughly with oil-free skin cleaner before going to bed every night. This will help reduce or eliminate oils from your skin from transferring to your pillow when you are asleep.
When you wake up each morning, your pillow will smell clean and fresh. Not that normal old oily smell that your nose is accustomed to.
Use A Protector
The best thing you could ever do for your pillow is to protect it. How is this possible? Well, you can start with a pillow protector. The protector will encase the pillow inside to prevent the oils from your skin from making contact with its precious materials. The protector is available in an array of designs. Some come with zippers, others are designed with Velcro to secure the pillow inside the protector at all times. It really depends on your needs and preferences as to which design to purchase. In all actuality, the design doesn’t matter, as long as the protector fully encases the pillow.
Air Out Regularly
Have you ever heard of people airing out their bed linen? It is likely that your mother and/or grandmother did this regularly. This practice is highly recommended among medical experts for both bed linen and pillows. If you do not have a clothesline, you can attach the pillow to a clothes rack with pins. Place the clothes rack with the pillow in the sun. Leave it there for several hours or just before the sun goes down.
What will the sun do to your pillow during this time? It will act as a disinfectant, destroying bacteria on contact. After several hours, your pillow will be nearly free of bacteria and smell 100 times better.
Utilize An All-Natural Odor Eliminator
You can also freshen up your pillow regularly with an all-natural odor eliminator. These products are designed to dissolve foul odors in all kinds of materials, including polyester, linen, cotton, and foam. Just a few sprays of an all-natural odor eliminator will go a long way in keeping your pillow smelling great. Unfortunately, these products will do nothing for the oily stains left behind from the night before. Combining the all-natural odor eliminator with a protector will not only keep oily stains and foul odors away but also extend the life of your pillow.
Conclusion
A pillow is one of the most important pieces of your bed linen. It helps keep your head stabilized, aligned, and comfortable throughout the night. So, do it a favor and keep it smelling fresh and clean.
