It’s vital to examine what kind of throw pillows you have. Some pillow inserts are detachable, while others are stitched into their cases. Check to see if your cushion has any hardware, such as a zipper. Are there any obvious stains that require initial care? Does your pillow have feathers, foam, or cotton inside? The cushion insert itself might even have a care label that you can look at.
Keep in mind that pillowcases (or shams) and pillow inserts could need to be cleaned using various techniques, so be cautious when choosing which approach to use.
Knowing exactly what kind of pillow you have can help you choose the best cleaning strategy.
Read also: Common Things to Avoid When Washing Dishes
How Often To Wash Throw Pillows
For Hand Wash
- After taking the pillow insert out of its sham, place it aside.
- Spot treat any places that are especially troublesome by scrubbing the stain away with a soft toothbrush or washcloth dipped in a basin filled with warm water and a tiny bit of mild detergent.
- If you are washing more than one sham, soak them all in a basin of warm water with a few drops of a light detergent. To aid in the cleaning process, let the shams soak for a few minutes while gently stirring them with your hand.
- After soaking, take it out of your sink and rinse it with cool, clean water to get rid of all the detergent.
- After removing any extra water, lay your shams flat on fresh towels or hang them on a rack until they are approximately three-quarters dry. After that, finish drying by using your dryer’s fluff cycle.
For washing machines
- Assemble every cushion you plan to wash. Your washing machine will balance better if you wash many pillows at once, making the operation run more smoothly and effectively.
- If necessary, take out the pillow inserts and wash your pillows on a gentle, warm cycle. Place pillows on opposing sides of your top-loading washer to ensure that your load stays balanced if you’re washing pillows with their inserts (or pillows that are sewn shut and lack detachable inserts).
- After taking both shams out of the laundry, lay them flat on towels or hang them on a rack until they are about three-quarters dry. Next, finish the drying process by using your dryer’s fluff cycle. The easiest way to tumble dry pillows with their inserts is on a low heat setting.
How To Wash The Foam Insert
Because the heat and agitation would cause the foam to lose its shape, foam inserts cannot be machine-washed or dried. Here’s how to properly clean them:
- Soak the foam in a big basin with warm water and a tiny bit of mild detergent (a bathtub works well for this).
- To make sure the foam is totally dry, squeeze out any remaining liquid after soaking and let it dry on fresh, dry towels.
- Reinstall within the sham after it has dried.
How To Wash Feather Pillows
Because drying feather pillows is such a bother, they are notoriously hard to clean. Rarely, though, they need to be cleaned. Here’s how:
- Use your washing machine’s warm, gentle cycle to wash.
- Use a low-heat setting in your dryer to repeatedly dry cushions. Start a second cycle right away after the first one concludes, and perhaps a third as well.
Drying these pillows until they are completely dry, not just dry to the touch, is essential to success. The easiest way to make sure your pillows are bone-dry is to use many dryer cycles because, of course, it’s difficult to reach the center of a pillow without cutting it open.
Read also: How to Wash a Puffer Jacket Without it Losing Shape