Is your pillow over 2 years old? If yes, you might be sleeping with a veritable zoo of mold, bacteria and dust mites. Not exactly the kind of pillow talk you want to engage in, is it?
That fluffy bit of comfort on which you rest your head every night can be a hotbed for germs, and might contain even more germs than your bathroom. Yick! Pillows absorb germs from our skin and the air and since we rarely clean or replace our bedroom pillows, bacterias and molds are free to reproduce unhampered. This can become quite a problem if you have allergies to dust mites or mold since you are placing your head in the hot zone for 8 hours a night.
Experts suggest that you replace your pillow every 2 years. Since that can be a costly endeavor, you can try pillow protectors instead since they can prevent dust mites from breeding in your bedding.
Fit's Tip: One quick way to zap all those bacteria is to throw you pillows into the dryer for 20 minutes on high heat. Aim to do this at least once a month and at least once a week if you are experiencing severe allergy symptoms.
Sweet dreams....
APC
City Walk
Martick Jewellery
So, can you wash your pillows on hot? What about decorative pillows?
1This reminds me of a demo that we had by an Electrolux salesman about 35 years ago. He vacuumed our mattress and pillows, took the dust out of the vacuum bag and told us that if used just one tablespoon of the dust and made a soup out of it - it could kill a family of 4!!!
Thanks Fit, for reminding me to clean the pillows!!!
2My Mother keeps harping on me about this. I've got a pillow that's like a security blanket to me. I've had it for...well a REALLY embarrassingly long time. I just can't bear to part with it! I know I've got to let go for the sake of not being so gross! I do wash it at least.
3I've never thought of this, but it makes darn good sense. Thanks for the tip, so you can just throw it in the dryer on high, and it won't hurt it? never thought of this either, I'm doing it tonight!
4I knew this and when I first got married I washed my honey's pillow and he got really mad because it got all fluffy and he likes his flat. I told him about the germs and he said that he had his pillow for 14 years. I almost threw up.
5Thanks for the tip! I wouldn't have thought about just throwing them in the dryer on high. I bet they would smell awesome too if you through a Febreeze dryer sheet in there.
6I will be doing this tonight. Thanks so much for the tip!
7Oh God - I will be going to the store tonight for new pillows....not happy about this....but thanks for letting us know!
8wow...i never would have known this
9Oh yes. I always remind my parents to change their pillows, wash their sheets regularly... they're very lazy about it. Well, most of the people around me are... but I'm like, that's why you're pillows are full of dust mites and you're wondering why you're feeling stuffed and sneezing when you get in bed!
10It's been quite some time since the pillow itself was cleaned but the pillow cover and the sheets are washed weekly. I hope that's enough!
11WOW! I am ashamed to say that I did not know this! Thanks for the heads up! I am so going out this weekend and purchasing new pillows and will be sticking them in the dryer once a month.
12haha kiddy, same prob here. ive had a pillow for yrs.. a security blanket of sorts, as well. love that thing, i take it on travel with me everywhere.. i know, its sounding grosser by the moment.. hehe
13I bought some rather expensive down blend pillows. It says on the tag that you can wash and dry them so I try to once a month - esp bc my cat sleeps on them!!
14i never knew how easy it was to kill germs in a pillow! thanks for this tip.
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