Don't Neglect Your Pillows for a Deep Spring-Cleaning
By Brian Acton
Spring has arrived, and it's time to shake off the winter and embrace your inner neat freak. Spring-cleaning is the annual time to freshen up your yard, make your kitchen gleam, and vacuum up all the dust bunnies. But one home item that needs regular upkeep is often overlooked all year. We’re talking about your pillows: they can get absolutely filthy, even if it isn’t noticeable to the naked eye. This spring, don’t neglect your pillows - they’re one thing you’ll likely want as clean as possible.
Why Should I Wash My Pillows? Your head and face come in direct contact with your pillows for hours at a time. Knowing that, it seems logical that most people would want to keep them spotless. But it’s a frequently neglected aspect of home cleaning. Over time, pillows collect all manners of unsavory materials, including dead skin cells, pet dander, and even fungi. What’s worse, these materials attract dust mites, for whom a pillow is simply one of the best environments in which to live. A 2011 study found that over one third of a two-year-old pillow’s weight is made up of dead dust mites and their feces, dead skin cells, and bacteria. Not only is this information gross, it could be affecting your health if you’re one of the 20 million Americans with a dust mite allergy.
What Can I Do to Keep My Pillows Clean? Fortunately, keeping your pillows clean is fairly simple, as long as you can remember to perform regular upkeep. Replace Them Periodically, you should replace your old, dirty pillows with fresh, clean ones. Pillows should be replaced every year or two; this eliminates all the crud old pillows have been collecting and keeps you from sleeping on a flat, worn out pillow.
Perform Regular Upkeep Regular maintenance can also help fight off pillow accumulation. You should fluff your pillows daily to help them maintain their proper shape and knock off the dust off. If you remove certain pillows when you sleep, don’t just toss them on the floor - find a clean place for them instead. You’ll also want to wash your pillowcases with the rest of your bedding, at least once every week or two.
Wash Them Consistently Your pillows can stand a regular washing, at least once every few months. But before you toss your pillow in the washing machine, check the washing instructions. Many pillows require specific cleaning methods to maintain their shape and support. For instance, fiber pillows like the Tri-Core Cervical Pillow can be hand soaked and washed in warm water with laundry detergent, then air-dried. Foam pillows like the Core Memory Foam Cervical Pillow may need to be wiped with a damp cloth. Make sure to check the tags or instructions that come with your pillow, as washing it improperly could cause damage. When in doubt, you can check the Core Products page or give us a ring if you have questions on washing your Core Products pillow.
Conclusion Spring-cleaning is the perfect time to replace your pillows or give them a deep clean, but this should be just one step in regular upkeep and maintenance. Your pillows won’t stop accumulating unwanted material the rest of the year, so regular cleaning is needed to keep them fresh, remove gross buildup and allergens, and keep your bedroom just as healthy and clean as the rest of your home after a cleaning binge.