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    Home » Laundry Tips and Tricks » How to Machine Wash Pillows

    How to Machine Wash Pillows

    By Julie

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure policy for details.

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    Easy tips for machine washing pillows! This easy cleaning tip makes it simple to machine wash pillows and get them clean again. Check out how to machine wash pillows.

    how to machine wash a pillow

    My son came back from school field trip last week. I washed all of his clothes, sleeping bag and pillowcase. When I pulled the pillowcase off I couldn't believe how disgusting the pillow was. I decided I would machine wash the pillows too. If you have never washed your pillows in the washing machine it is easy. I don't recommend using this on memory foam pillows, it will ruin them.

    How To Wash Pillows In Washing Machine

    To wash the pillows in the washing machine you will need a few things.

    • laundry detergent
    • baking soda
    • essential oils (if you would like)

    I like to fill the machine up with water first. Use the hottest water possible. If your water isn't hot enough it won't kill off the bacteria and dust mites. While the water is filling up I add liquid detergent and 1/2 cup baking soda.

    washing a pillow in the washing machine

    The baking soda is great to help with any smells from the pillows and helps boost the laundry detergents power.

    Let the machine mix for a minute or two to get the soap and baking soda mixed well in the water. Then, add the pillows to the machine. It is best to wash two at a time so they can balance out the load. It may take a minute or two for them to absorb the water and sink down.

    adding pillows to the washing machine

    I set my machine to extra rinse because those pillows really need it!

    Once they are done in the washing machine move one pillow over to the dryer. They will need to dry for a long time. It always seems like they are dry, but once you let them sit for a few minutes they feel damp again.

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    Make sure to get them completely dry so you can avoid mold in the pillow. Once they are completely dry you can put them back in their pillowcases.

    I like to put a drop or two of lavender oil or serenity oil on the pillows. It helps me sleep better at night.

    using essential oils on pillows

     So how well does it clean the pillows? Check out my before and after pictures. It's easy to machine wash pillows and it gets them clean too!

    before and after pillow washing

    Looking for more things to clean? Check out how to clean your mattress at home. It's easy to do!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Stasia says

      January 19, 2015 at 9:05 am

      So helpful… consider it pinned 🙂

      • Julie says

        January 19, 2015 at 9:09 am

        Glad I could help!

    2. Marjie says

      January 19, 2015 at 10:48 am

      Wow! What a difference in those pillows! Do you have any tips to keep the pillow stuffing (batting) from wadding up inside the case while they are being washed? I've tried washing pillows in the past and end up with lumpy, uncomfortable balls of fiber... Any suggestions?

      • Julie says

        January 19, 2015 at 10:51 am

        Dryer balls can help with that, or if you don't have dryer balls then tennis balls will work. Hope that helps!

        • Marjie says

          January 19, 2015 at 10:52 am

          Thanx Julie, I'll give that a try!

          • Julie says

            January 19, 2015 at 10:53 am

            Your welcome!

    3. Debbie @ Bible Fun For Kids says

      January 19, 2015 at 11:00 am

      Thank you for sharing these tips! Good to know! Pinned it!

      • Julie says

        January 19, 2015 at 3:03 pm

        Your Welcome! 🙂

    4. Javeriya @Believe&inspire says

      January 21, 2015 at 8:40 am

      This is great! Pinning it up for later, because I'm sure I'd be needing this.

      • Julie says

        January 21, 2015 at 8:45 am

        It works great and is so easy. Thanks for stopping by!

    5. Anna says

      January 22, 2015 at 9:52 am

      They look great after. I tried this once but had terrible problems with getting the pillows to submerge - air kept getting caught in them and it took ages to squeeze enough out that the cycle could even run. Now I wonder if that was because my old washer was High Efficiency. Any thoughts on that, anybody? (I wonder if I should try again now that I have a regular old-fashioned washer - we moved.)

      • Julie says

        January 22, 2015 at 9:55 am

        It might be worth another try. I haven't tried it with a high efficiency washer, but I know a lot of people that haven't been happy with how they clean.

    6. Anita at LiveLikeYouAreRich says

      January 22, 2015 at 11:37 am

      Funny enough I have on my to-do list to wash my pillows today. Great idea about the lavender oil, I love it! I've also found if you put something into the dryer like a clean tennis ball or lint ball it will help them dry faster because it moves the pillow filling around (especially for down pillows). Thanks again!

      • Julie says

        January 22, 2015 at 11:40 am

        Thanks for the tip. I will have to try the tennis ball trick next time we have a clean one. 🙂

    7. Joyce @ My Stay At Home Adventures says

      January 23, 2015 at 9:06 am

      I will be trying this today, seriously. I never heard of this but my kids pillows need some love and bad this week. Thanks!

      • Julie says

        January 23, 2015 at 2:44 pm

        Thanks for hosting the link up!

    8. Jen says

      August 09, 2015 at 5:26 am

      I love your tutorials! I wash my pillows frequently and have found that they dry faster if I run them through the spin cycle at least one or two more times before putting them in the dryer. Extracting more water out of them helps dry them faster (obviously lol). Also using dryer balls help dry them faster too. The dryer balls are about the size of tennis balls but are plastic with little bumps all over them. I found them at Fred Meyer and they really help cut down dry time on all laundry. Anyway thank you sharing your tutorials! Have a great day!

      • Julie says

        August 10, 2015 at 7:16 am

        Great Tips, thanks! I will have to try the dryer balls, they sound great.

    9. Liz says

      February 25, 2016 at 11:58 am

      To get laundry submerged into the water I keep a handy dandy laundry stick available. I bought a new cheapie orange colored bathroom plunger, wrote "laundry stick" on the handle and keep it beside my washer. Perfect for getting clothes submerged!

      • Julie says

        February 26, 2016 at 1:26 pm

        Great tip! Thanks for sharing.

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