Whiten yellow pillows and clean away stains with one ‘magic’ natural ingredient
Pillows easily discolour from everyday use in the summer and can quickly become a hotspot for germs, but there is a very easy way to whiten them once again.
As the temperature rises, you may discover that your pillows are getting stained regularly, but it is incredibly easy to clean with only a few household items.
Pillows often become yellow and dingy due to the build-up of sweat and oil that is more likely to occur in the summer, which is why it is important to clean them regularly in the warmer months.
Carrie Higgins, a cleaning expert and founder of Making Lemonade has shared that yellow pillows are “so stinkin’ easy” to restore with one simple ingredient.
She said: “As you know, vinegar is amazing when it comes to cleaning grout and I use it for just about everything. So why not put it to the test with my dirty, yucky pillows?
“Not only did it work, it pretty much-performed miracles.”
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How to wash yellowing pillows
Simple kitchen vinegar contains acetic acid, which is very effective at dissolving body oils, sweat and other stains while also naturally softening the fabric and killing bacteria.
All you need to get pillows white again is vinegar and a little liquid laundry detergent such as All Free and Clear, which Carrie highly recommends for anyone with allergies or sensitive skin.
Then, add around 240ml of white vinegar to the washing machine detergent drawer in the fabric softener area and add your detergent.
Set the washing machine on a normal wash and once the pillows have been washed, run them again on a spin cycle to remove excess moisture.
The pillows should look “clean white and stain free” according to Cassie, but for extremely dingy pillows she recommends running them in the wash a second time and then using OxyClean Maxforce Stain Remover to wash away any stains.
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Cassie said: “Some sites recommend bleach, I’d only do this if absolutely necessary because bleach can cause skin and respiratory irritation."
She added: “As dirty and drooly as my pillows were, I didn’t need to run ANY of them through a second time, the vinegar/All combo worked like magic!”
Place the pillows in the dryer on a low-heat setting or air dry them outside as sunlight can naturally whiten fabric.
Cassie said: “You can also put them outside on a sunny day to naturally whiten and zap germs in the sunshine. Now your pillows will be gorgeous and ready to show off!”
This “magic” homemade solution is perfect for reviving pillows but make sure not to use too much detergent and only wash two pillows at a time to not overload the washing machine.
Certain pillows such as memory foam cannot be placed in the washing machine or dryer otherwise they can melt, so make sure to read the label on your pillows to make sure they are suitable for this laundry trick to work.
