I had a girl over who was going to throw up so she opened the pillow case and threw up inside (with the pillow still in the case). I rinsed it in the tub as well as I could but can I also run the pillow through the washing machine? Is it safe for the pillow? If I just wanted to sit it aside (in the attic, in open air) for several months would it magically be ok later? (There will be a pillow case if it is stained). Thanks.
PS: I really don’t want to throw it away because I love it and have three more just like it that would ruin the match.
Image taken on 2008-08-16 23:56:15 by Rev. Xanatos Satanicos Bombasticos (ClintJCL).
What a shame.
If it’s a feather/down pillow you can wash it … safely. Just like a down quilt.
Delicate cycle, cold water, detergent, Oxyi-Clean powder (about one big tablespoon). Run it through the wash cycle and rinse cycle. Repeat the whole thing with new detergent and Oxyi-Clean. Watch the machine in the second round and add a half cup of lemon juice (bottled in the supermarket) or a cup of white (no other kind) vinegar in the second rinse cycle.
Let spin on delicate cycle. Put in the dryer with two clean tennis balls and set the heat at delicate or cool or air only whichever you have on your machine. This will take a while as you do not want to heat the feathers.
Do not concern yourself with “germs” … babies throw up a lot. Everyone washes the clothes and puts them back on the baby. This pillow can be saved.
If there is any residue of smell in the pillow (which I doubt) put it on the window sill of a sunny room and turn over front to back, top to bottom a few times. Done.
If it’s a non feather pillow this will work also. Those pillows are made to be washed. Never use bleach on any pillow.
The materials inside the pillow will be ruined.
If you have washed it in the washer once before then it is safe to put in a hot water cycle. Depending what color it is; if it’s white that you have washed with bleach before; you can add it to the wash cycle. Use about 1/4 cup for a small wash load and dilute it in by add 3/4 cup of water in to a jar before pouring it into the wash. If it’s a color/ or printed use Lysol disinfectant for the laundry (brown bottle) in the liquid form. And if there are stains use a color safe bleach alternative.
Edited: To dry your pillow you will need to put it in to the dryer; along with a few tennis balls, (old) clean sneakers to help fluff the material in the pillow out for better drying.
You can wash your pillow . normally there is a label that tell´s you what temp to wash it on, if it´s a feather filled pillow, then I think you best not put in the machine. I would suggest soaking it in the bath tub . Add 1/2 cup of your washing machine detergent, add hot water, enough to build up a lather, then add cold enough for the water become warm, Put the pillow in flat, leave for 1/2hr, give a little rub. Leave the pillow flat and drain away the suds. Then rinse well with cold water and hang outside in the sun to dry. It will be clean and the fresh air will rid any remaining smell. Sounds a lot of work for a pillow, but the thing´s we do for love, and as you love this pillow so much,I´m sure it´s worth the hard work
It depends upon how much you really really love the pillow.
The best suggestion as to killing any germs would to be either dry clean it or soak it in a strong solution of bleach or lysol and HOT water for a while.
Washing it in the washer won’t really hurt it as long as it isn’t silk or other material that’s not washable. Drying it in the dryer on low would be okay, put a clean sneaker or tennis ball in with it, it will help fluff it back up.
Yuk!
Depending on what its stuffed with it should be alright. If its feathers, its probably already trashed. If its synthetic material, throw it in. Wash it in warm water and tumble it dry.
My wife washes pillows all the time.
I wash mine,,,they come out okay..if it’s a down pillow, put a tennis shoe in the dryer with it to fluff it back…
you could throw your pillow in the washing machine but it’s gonna come out all lumpy… every pillow I have ever washed comes out lumpy.
ugh, im sorry to hear that.
replacing it is the best option, but it sounds like putting it in the washing machine is the best option after that one.
try to find a label on it.
You can wash it and reuse it, but I wouldn’t.