Between perspiration, excess sebum and other bodily fluids, the night is not easy for your pillow, because even protected by a cover, over time, it ends up yellowing and taking on a not very glamorous appearance.
No need to replace it, it is entirely possible to recover the former whiteness of your pillow by cleaning it naturally and quickly. To do this, you just need to choose the right method. Follow our tips, we tell you everything!
1. Put it in the machine
If it’s big enough, your washing machine is your number one asset for cleaning your yellowed pillows. You must choose the hottest program (we recommend 90°) offered to you to have a chance of removing stains embedded on the fabric.
If you have a machine that opens from the top:
Fill the machine with 1/3 boiling water. Then add a cup of washing powder, then a cup of bleach and a cup of soda crystals.
Afterwards, run your machine for a few minutes before adding the pillows, in order to mix and dissolve everything well.
When this step is done, stop the machine, place two pillows in it, then continue the wash program.
If you have a window machine:
If you have a machine with a window, the operating mode will be different. You will first need to choose the hottest wash cycle and add the ingredients one after the other, after starting it.
But since each machine is different, and this can be tedious, you can opt for plan B and let your pillow soak overnight with the ingredients in a basin, or in your bathtub. The next day, simply place your pillow in the machine, using your usual program and your detergent: you will be surprised to see the yellow stains disappear quickly!
One last thing, remember to check on the label that your pillow can be machine washed. Here, beware of memory foam pillows whose fibers cannot withstand machine washing! In this case, it will be necessary to favor gentle hand washing as well as flat drying to preserve your memory foam.
2. Combine baking soda and white vinegar
Although these two champions of ecological cleaning can be used independently of each other, it is recommended to mix them for additional effectiveness. This duo even has a refreshing and softening effect on your laundry! Use them with a half-and-half mixture: one cup of white vinegar and one cup of baking soda, for a one-hour soak or directly in the machine. Don’t be impressed, the mixture foams a lot.
3. Use lemon juice
Naturally whitening, lemon juice is an economical, ecological disinfectant that is easy to find and, as a bonus, pleasantly scents your pillows. To use it, you have two options:
– 1st possibility : place the equivalent of lemon juice in the detergent drawer of your washing machine, so that it releases its whitening power during the high temperature program (always at 90°).
– 2nd possibility : bring 2.5 liters of water to the boil. Then add the juice of 6 lemons. Place the mixture in a basin large enough to be able to immerse your pillow entirely in the liquid. Then let your cushion sit for two hours in the mixture, so that the effect of the lemon juice is maximum! You can then clean it in your washing machine, using your usual detergent.
4. Clean with hydrogen peroxide
To whiten a very yellowed pillow, lemon juice should be supplemented with hydrogen peroxide. Add double the amount of hydrogen peroxide to the amount of lemon juice and pour into the washing machine on a very hot cycle, or into a large quantity of boiling water for an hour’s soak before washing.
5. Combine soda crystals and bleach
It is certainly the most effective mixture, but also the most powerful. Beware of projections and make way for gloves! Mix one cup of bleach, one cup of washing soda, and one cup of washing powder in a large volume of hot water and soak overnight. The next day, machine wash. For use directly in the machine, dilute the products one after the other, after starting the cycle, then add the pillows to the drum.
6. Opt for baking powder
Baking powder not only has virtues in cooking, but also for our daily household. Use it to whiten your yellowed pillow, your mattress or even your sheets. To do this, pour a sachet of yeast directly onto the textile and scrub with a brush soaked in water. Finally, wash by hand or in the machine: the result will be clear!
Advice :
To prevent your pillows from yellowing, remember to maintain them regularly. First of all, remove the pillowcases and expose them to the sun by opening the bedroom windows to ventilate them as much as possible.
Also note that to avoid the proliferation of mites and the appearance of yellow stains, it is essential to respect the lifespan of your pillow which is three years!