As an item that can make or break a good night’s quality sleep, pillows are an indispensable part of our bedding set, along with mattresses and bedsheets. Despite their essential role in helping you get quality sleep, the process of cleaning your pillow is likely to be overlooked by the latter two.

Consumer Reports recommended giving your pillows “a daily fluffing to restore their shape and remove dust,” for starters in cleaning your pillow. “If your pillow can withstand being laundered, you should wash it at least twice a year, or quarterly if you sweat a lot, eat in bed, or have pets sleep in your bed with you.”

Though Simply and other bedding industry experts recognized the need to maintain and cleaning your pillow for form and function, the urgency in doing so is often overlooked.

“Because they’re tucked into pillowcases, pillows are often forgotten when it comes to laundering bedding. Unfortunately, they can still trap dirt, dust mites and other unwanted allergens,” said the American Sleep Association in its website sleepassociation.org.

Good Housekeeping magazine suggested that pillows should “be washed at least two to four times a year to help them last longer.” The publication also highlighted the pillow’s content and care tag as a good place to start the process of cleaning your pillow.

Washing your pillow

Good Housekeeping also warned about generalizing the pillows’ cleaning process. “Most down and fiberfill pillows are machine-friendly, which means you can just them in the

washing-machine for a refresh. Be sure to wash two pillows at a time to keep the washer balanced, ensuring an all-around clean,” Good Housekeeping pointed out.

The USA Today newspaper agreed. They suggested to “tumble dry the pillows on low heat, fluffing and turning them often,” they added in their website usatoday.com. “Add a softener sheet for freshness, and add a couple of sneakers or tennis balls to help fluff them.”

However, the American Sleep Association urged a more cautious approach. “If your pillow is made with down or another high-end filler, professional dry-cleaning services may be the best option to avoid damage,” noted the Association.

On the other hand, experts pointed out that foam pillows should be cleaned differently. “Remove pillow covers or pillowcases and wash according to the care tag…stick the pillowcases and covers in the washing machine, select the normal or casual cycle, and wash in warm or hot water. To get rid of dust or dirt on the pillow, vacuum both sides, or tumble in the dryer on the no-heat or air-only cycle for 20 minutes,” suggested Good Housekeeping.

“Spot clean any soiled areas with a cloth dipped in a mild sudsy soap solution. Lightly rinse with a damp cloth. Allow the pillow to air dry completely before putting it back on the bed or couch.”

Drying your pillow

Bedding experts also pointed out that drying your pillow is just as critical as washing them. “It’s crucial to get the pillow completely dry – otherwise you risk mildew,” warned Consumer Reports. “Many pillows can be dried for a good hour on moderate heat. Adding a couple of dry towels…two fresh tennis balls or dryer balls and they’ll keep the filling from clumping.”

For down or feather pillows, Consumer Report suggested using “the no-heat air dry setting and dryer balls or tennis balls,” to deal with clumps, or making the most of good weather. “You can hang most pillows on the clothesline until they’re dried all the way through. Whichever drying technique you use, you still need to check for moisture inside the pillow.”

Consumer Reports also recommend using pillow covers to protect pillows from substances such as sweat, body oils, and face cream. They added that pillow covers and pillow cases should be put in the laundry on a regular basis, along with bedsheets.