The objective of cleaning is not just to clean, but to feel happiness living within that environment.
Marie Kondo
One of the big advantages of having a pillow made from man-made materials is that you can usually wash it without too much trouble. It would be far more difficult to do that with a pillow made from feathers and down.
However, if your pillow is made from solid foam, a single piece of memory foam, or shredded memory foam then you are in luck. You will be able to maintain its high level of hygiene without losing any comfort.
The best advice is always to remove any stains, spillages, or marks as quickly as you can so that they do not have time to soak inside the cover so it is absorbed by the memory foam. Try all you can to keep that clean and dry.
Depending on the type of memory foam pillow you have, there are a couple of approaches to bear in mind. To be sure of how to clean the memory foam pillow, please refer to the cleaning instructions provided by the manufacturer. Yours may require special treatment.
Shredded Memory Foam
Pillows filled with shredded memory usually involve two approaches. The easiest element to wash is the cover. They are usually supplied with a cover at the original purchase. You may choose to retain the cover or replace it with a slip of your own. Regular washing of this pillowcase or pillowslip is the best way to care for your bedding.
It is the cover, which picks up any of the dirt or natural body oils, which are a by-product of sleeping comfortably. Make sure you clean this regularly. Many people use two layers of cover to protect the pillow itself.
If your pillow has an inner case, you will be able to tip the shredded foam out into a temporary container so that you can run the emptied inner case through your washing machine. Make sure it is dried thoroughly before attempting to fill it again.
In addition, if you need to freshen up the filling inside the pillow, a good way to do this with shredded memory foam is to give it a short trip around your tumble drier. The effect of warm air flowing through it allows the foam to expand as it dries.
If you do not have a tumble drier, you will get good results from simply hanging it out to dry on a dry, sunny, windy day. Do not let water near your shredded memory foam.
If you have spare foam from your original purpose, it may be worth swapping the foam out from time to time to ensure it stays fresh. In extreme circumstances, you may wish to refill it with a new batch of shredded memory foam from the same or another supplier.
Solid Memory Foam
If your pillow is made from solid foam, you need to take a different approach. Do not put it through a washing machine or a drier, either. If your pillow is made from 2 pieces of foam, machine treatment may cause the layers to separate.
You need to choose when you do this with great care. A “good drying day” is what you need to wash your foam pillow because you need to let it dry quickly and naturally. Warm sunshine and steady winds are the ideal conditions.
The best approach is to hold your pillow under running water. Once your water runs clear, you need to remove the excess liquid by applying as much pressure as you can.
Then you should simply hang it out in the open to dry in a warming natural wind. Try to use natural warmth and airflow. Do not just place it on a heater or a radiator and hope for the best.
If you cannot use running water across the pillow, you could settle for squidging it in a bath of water. Keep squidging until the water comes out clear.
Depending on how dirty your pillow is, you may need to refresh your water once or twice. Again, try to do this on a natural drying day, do not really on artificial heat.
Latex Foam
If your pillow contains latex foam filling (rather than memory foam) then your only washing option is to treat it as you would a memory foam pillow by running clean water through as rapidly as you can, then dry it as quickly and as naturally as you can.
Hygiene, hypoallergenic, dust mite resistant
One of the best features of memory foam pillows is that they are generally inert: they do not absorb bugs, impurities, or aromas. That is why you choose them. They stay a healthy option for a long time.
This means that you should rarely need to clean your memory foam pillows. As long as you treat them carefully and avoid any liquids being absorbed inside the filling, you should have very few problems.
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Solid memory foam needs careful handwashing.