Most pillows can go through a washing machine if the tag allows it. Load two at a time and run a gentle cycle with warm water and a small amount of mild detergent. Add an extra rinse and an extra spin, and dry them on low heat until the center is completely dry. Solid memory foam pillows are the main exception, since they shouldn’t go in the machine at all.
Key Takeaways:
- Most polyester and many down or feather pillows can be machine washed if the care tag allows it.
- Solid memory foam should be spot cleaned only, because machine washing can crack or break down the foam.
- Two pillows per load keeps the drum balanced, and a little detergent goes a long way.
- Low heat over several dryer cycles, with dryer balls and a fluff between rounds, prevents clumps.
- Plan to wash pillows at least twice a year, and pillowcases far more often.
Which pillows can go in the washing machine?
Start with the tag. It tells you the type of pillow, what the fill is, and how the maker wants it cleaned. According to the Sleep Foundation’s pillow washing guide, tags generally point you to one of four routes: machine wash, hand wash, spot clean only, or dry clean only.
Polyester and other synthetic fiberfill pillows are usually the easiest. Most can handle a gentle machine cycle and a dryer on low.
Down-filled pillows and feather pillows vary more. Some are machine washable, and some makers call for dry cleaning only, so the tag decides. Shredded memory foam can sometimes be hand washed, depending on the manufacturer. To hand wash pillows, knead them gently in a tub of warm water with a little detergent, then rinse until the water runs clear.
Solid memory foam is different. Machine washing can crack or degrade the foam, and it shouldn’t be soaked either. Clean the removable cover if it has one, and spot clean the foam itself. To freshen it, sprinkle on baking soda, let it sit, and vacuum it off.
If you’re working out how to wash pillows in a front load washer, the method is the same as in a top loader. Balance the load, pick the gentle cycle, and give the pillows room to move.
How to wash pillows in a washer, step by step
Here’s the routine we’d follow for a pair of machine-washable pillows. If your tag says something different, the tag wins.
- Read the care tag and confirm the pillow is machine washable.
- Take off the pillowcase and any zip cover, and wash those separately.
- Check the seams for small tears, since a split seam in the washer means fill all over the drum. Treat stains with a little stain remover while you’re at it.
- Load two pillows at a time so the weight is even on both sides of the drum.
- Add a small amount of mild liquid detergent, because too much leaves residue in the fill.
- Choose the gentle or delicate cycle with warm water, or cool to warm water for down and feathers, since hot water can damage them.
- Run an extra rinse to clear the soap, then an extra spin to pull out as much water as you can. Some people add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the rinse to cut leftover detergent.
- Dry pillows on the lowest heat setting over several cycles, with two or three dryer balls, clean tennis balls, or dry towels in the drum.
- Pull the pillows out between cycles, fluff them, and break up any clumps with your hands.
- Squeeze the middle of each pillow before you put it back on the bed, and keep drying if it feels damp at all.
That final squeeze test matters. The cover can feel dry long before the fill inside does, and a pillow that goes back on the bed damp can develop a musty smell.
How do you wash pillows without clumping?
Most clumps start with too much soap or a drying cycle that ends early. Go light on detergent, run the extra rinse, and give the dryer the time it needs.
Dryer balls help because they keep bouncing the fill apart while the pillow tumbles. Wool or rubber both work. If you’re weighing the options, here’s our take on dryer balls vs dryer sheets.
For down and feather pillows, the Sleep Foundation suggests the lowest heat over multiple cycles and fluffing between each one. Patience is the whole trick. Low heat takes longer, and it protects the feathers while the fill dries through.
Sending bedding out instead
OrangeBag cleans pillows too. They aren’t a line item on the price list yet, so mention them when you schedule or call (866) 973-5666, and the team will confirm the price before pickup. The list does include pillowcases at $4.95 each and bed sheets at $24.95 each, cleaned by the piece. Everyday laundry goes by the bag at $2.65 per pound and comes back sorted and folded in 24 to 48 hours. You can see every line and fee in OrangeBag’s wash and fold and dry cleaning prices.
We pick up across Los Angeles, from Santa Monica and West Hollywood to Long Beach, and the page on laundry pickup and delivery in Los Angeles shows how pickup, subscriptions, and delivery fit together.
Pillow washing FAQ
Can you wash pillows with sheets?
Keeping them apart works better. Sheets can wrap around a wet pillow and throw the drum off balance, and the two need different drying. Sheets are done long before a pillow’s fill is dry, so they’d sit in the dryer overheating. Wash the pillowcases with the sheets, and give the pillows their own load of two.
How many pillows can you wash at once?
Two is the sweet spot for most home machines. A pair keeps the weight even during the spin, and it leaves room for the pillows to move through the water. A large-capacity front loader may fit more standard pillows, but a crowded drum rinses poorly and can leave detergent in the fill.
Can you put pillows in the dryer?
Most machine-washable pillows can go in the dryer on low heat, and the tag will say so. Use several short cycles, add dryer balls, and fluff the pillows between rounds. Solid memory foam and anything marked hand wash should air dry instead, in a spot with good airflow, until the center is fully dry.
How often should you wash pillows?
The Sleep Foundation recommends washing most pillows at least twice a year. Pillowcases need far more frequent washing, on the same schedule as your sheets, and our guide on how often to wash your sheets covers that timing. A zippered protector under the case also helps, since it catches sweat and skin oils before they reach the fill.
Want your bedding handled for you?
Send the sheets and pillowcases out with the rest of your laundry and get your weekend back. A driver picks up at your door and brings everything back clean.
