How To Clean Pillows And Duvets At Home

The most important first step: check the care label

Before even going near your washing machine, you must check the care label on your bedding. If you wash your pillows and duvets against advice, you not only risk ruining them completely, but also voiding your warranty.

Here’s what the different symbols on your bedding mean:

• A tub filled with water - Machine washable. Good news! You can put your pillow or duvet in the washing machine if it has this symbol.
• A number inside the tub - Recommended temperature. This is the temperature you should set your machine to when washing your bedding. It’s usually either 30°C or 40°C.
• A square with a circle - Tumble dryer. This means you can tumble dry your bedding. If it’s got a cross through it, though, it means it’s not tumble-dryable.
• A tub with a hand - Hand wash only. This means you can’t machine wash your bedding, and should just spot clean it with a damp cloth instead, or gently rinse it in your bath if you have one!
• A simple circle - Dry clean only. This means you can only wash your bedding by taking it to the dry cleaners.

It’s imperative that you pay attention to these symbols and wash pillows and duvets accordingly. This helps them stay fresher and plumper for longer, so you can get the most out of them.

Bear in mind that these instructions generally only refer to synthetic, feather, and down bedding items. If you have a memory foam or latex pillow, you’ll have to wash it in a different way – but don’t worry, we’ll cover this now!

What about memory foam or latex pillows?

As we mentioned, it’s important not to wash latex or memory foam pillows in the washing machine, as foam can’t be cleaned this way. If you do, you’ll end up damaging the foam structure and losing the ‘moulding’ nature of the pillow. However, if you do end up with a stain or spill on your pillow, there are a few things you can do to make it fresh again.

Firstly, most memory foam pillows come with a removable cover. Take this off, check the care label, and pop it in the washing machine if you can. Then, check over the actual foam insert for spills, stains, and damage.

If you need to clean the foam, follow these steps:

1. Vacuum any dust and debris. Even with a liquid stain, a quick hoover can help loosen the particles for easier cleaning.
2. Spot-clean any stains with a cloth and mild detergent. Make sure to only use cold water, as warm or hot water will set the stain.
3. Rinse with a clean, damp cloth, and never scrub – just gently pat.
4. Let your pillow air dry completely before putting the cover back on. Keep it away from direct sunlight or heat, as this can damage its structure.
5. Never put your foam pillow in the tumble dryer, as this will damage it.

How often should you wash your bedding?

For more details on when and why to refresh your bed, read our guide: How Often Should You Change Your Bedding?. But, as a general rule of thumb, go by the following:

• Duvet covers and pillowcases: One a week. Sweat, dead skin cells, and bacteria build up quickly on bed sheets, so wash them this often to prevent breakouts and allergies.
• Pillows: Every 3-6 months. Similar to your pillowcase, an unwashed pillow can lead to spots.
• Duvets: Every 6-12 months. If you switch your duvet between summer and winter, be sure to pop it in the wash before storing it. This way, it’ll be clean and fresh when you come to switch it over.
• Mattress protectors: Every two months. However, you might want to wash this more in the summer or if you tend to sweat a lot at night.
• Mattress toppers: Every two months. You can wash this just as you did your duvet, making sure to check the care label first, unless it’s memory foam, in which case follow the steps we covered for foam pillows.