Learn how to wash and dry memory foam pillows so they are clean while keeping their shape.
I love my memory foam pillows! I started buying them about 5 or 6 years ago from Costco. They are about the same price as a regular pillow, but much more comfortable. I sleep with it every single night. If we go on vacation I take my pillow with me too.
So I was bummed when I recently spilled some soda on my pillow while we were on vacation. Luckily, you can wash memory foam pillow. It's not quite as easy as washing a regular pillow in the washing machine, but it can easily be done. It even works on the pillows that have cooling on one side like mine does.
Need to clean your memory foam mattress? The process is a little different, but still very simple.
While we are at it, we should go ahead and clean the yellowed pillow cases too!
Memory foam pillows are more delicate than most pillows. Because of this when you are washing a memory foam pillow you will want to be very gentle with it. No machine washing for this pillow. If you have a zip cover you will want to remove it before you wash memory foam pillow.
Table of contents
How to Wash Memory Foam Pillows
Combine water and detergent.
To start, you will need a large sink or bucket. I just used my kitchen sink after I washed it out really well.
Fill the sink up about 3/4 of the way with warm water. Then add some detergent to the water. I highly recommend using a detergent made for delicates. It helps protect against fiber damage and shape loss when washing items.
Mix the detergent with the water and then add the pillow.
Submerge the pillow.
Gently push the pillow into the water so the detergent, and water go throughout the foam. The pillow will soak up a lot of the water, that's fine. Keep pushing down on the pillow until you have the pillow clean. If there were any stains or spills on the pillow, make sure they are coming out.
Drain the water and refill.
Once you feel like you have the soap and water mixture dispersed through the pillow then drain the water out of the sink or the bucket.
Add fresh water to the bucket or sink and once again press the pillow down so it can absorb the clean water. You will want to add fresh water to the sink and rinse the pillow about two times or until the water runs clear. When you are done rinsing the pillow you can now start to dry it out.
How to Dry Memory Foam Pillows
Drying it out is the most important part of washing a memory foam pillow. You don't want it to retain too much moisture and create mold in your pillow.
Your pillow is probably very heavy at this point.
Squeeze out the water.
You will want to gently ring out as much water as you can without damaging the pillow. I have a split sink so I just let mine rest on the divider and gently squeezed the ends to get most of the water out.
It might take you about 5-10 minutes to get your pillow to the point that it isn't soaking wet and filled with water. Just keep gently squeezing it to let the water out.
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Roll in a towel.
Once your pillow has most of the water out of it take it out of the sink and place it on a dry towel. Then start at one end and roll the towel up jelly-roll style to help get some more of the water out. Do this a couple of times until you feel you have most of the water squeezed out.
Place on a clean towel.
Then use a fresh dry towel and let the pillow finish air drying on the towel. This may take 12-24 hours for the pillow to completely dry.
Put the cover back on.
Once you have your memory foam pillow completely dry you can start to use it again. Just put it back in a pillowcase and you are good to go.
Drying Memory Foam Faster
- You can speed up the drying time by placing the pillow in the sun to dry or by putting a fan on it to blow it dry faster.
- Avoid using high heat close to pillow. This can cause the fibers to breakdown.
- Hair dryers can be used on the lowest heat setting, while holding it at least 6 inches away from the pillow.
Common FAQs
It depends on the specific memory foam pillow and its care instructions. While some memory foam pillows may be machine washable, others may not be able to withstand the agitation and heat of a washing machine.
Always check the care tag first to be sure. If the pillow tag is missing, it's best to hand wash it just in case.
It is generally not recommended to put a memory foam pillow in the dryer, as the heat from the dryer can damage the memory foam and cause it to lose its shape and support.
The drying time for a memory foam pillow can vary depending on a few factors, such as the size of the pillow, the humidity and airflow in the room, and the amount of moisture that needs to be removed.
In general, it can take anywhere from several hours to a day or two for a memory foam pillow to dry completely.
If you are referring to machine washing, yes it's possible.
Check for any signs of distortion or damage to the foam, such as lumps, bumps, or cracks. If the foam is still in good condition, it's likely that the pillow is still usable. However, if the foam is significantly distorted or damaged, the pillow may no longer provide adequate support and may need to be replaced.
It's important to note that even if your memory foam pillow appears undamaged after washing, it may still have residual moisture inside the foam.
To ensure that the pillow dries completely and does not develop mold or mildew, it's important to air dry the pillow thoroughly before using it again.
Now that you know how to wash memory foam pillow you don't ever have to worry about spills on your pillow again. This simple tip for cleaning memory foam helps you easily wash it and get your pillow like new again.
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