The short answer to how to keep pillows clean is layers plus habits. Put a zippered cotton cover on the pillow, a pillowcase over that, wash the case weekly and the cover every week or two, and give the pillow itself a proper wash a couple of times a year. Add a few small habits, like never going to bed with wet hair, and the pillow stays fresh far longer.
Most pillows do not get dingy from one big spill. They get there slowly, one night of sweat and face cream at a time. The good news is that learning how to keep pillows clean takes minutes a week, and none of it needs special products.
We handle pillows and covers every day, so this guide sticks to what works at home: the layers, the routine, a care schedule, and how to freshen or store a pillow.
What makes a pillow dirty in the first place?
Your head rests on the same spot for hours every night. During that time the pillow picks up sweat, natural skin oil, drool, shed skin flakes and whatever you put on your face or hair before bed. Night cream, sunscreen residue, hair oil and leave in conditioner all soak through thin fabric.
Moisture is the real trouble. A pillow that never fully dries out between nights starts to smell a little sour, and the fill near your face can turn yellow over time. A pet that naps on your pillow adds hair and dander on top.
A pillow sees daily use, like a towel, and needs the same steady care. Knowing how to keep pillows clean is mostly about stopping that build up before it reaches the fill.
How to keep pillows clean every day
Daily habits do more than any deep clean. These are the core of how to keep pillows clean:
- Dry your hair first. Damp hair pushes water straight through the case and into the fill. Even towel dried hair can leave a damp patch that stays there all night.
- Let skincare sink in. Give night creams and serums time to sink in before you lie down, or keep a dedicated case for heavy treatment nights.
- Air the bed in the morning. Pull the duvet back for a while after you get up. The trapped warmth and moisture escape instead of soaking in.
- Fluff once a day. A few firm shakes move air through the fill and knock off loose dust.
- Keep food and drinks off the bed. Crumbs and coffee rings are hard to shift.
- Give pets their own spot. If they sleep on your bed anyway, plan on changing the case more often.
If you sweat a lot at night, a breathable cotton layer helps too. Cotton absorbs moisture and lets it evaporate, while plastic backed covers tend to trap it against your skin.
Does a zippered pillow cover keep a pillow cleaner?
Yes, and it is the single most useful step in how to keep pillows clean. A pillowcase alone is open at one end and usually a thin weave, so oils and moisture pass through it over time. A zippered cover closes all the way around the pillow and adds a second layer of fabric between you and the fill.
Our zippered cotton pillow cover with a hidden zipper is made from 100% long staple cotton percale, with the zipper tucked along the seam so you do not feel it against your cheek. The product page describes it as a shield against sweat, dust and dead skin, and that matches what a cover is for: catching the daily grime so the pillow does not.
The order matters. The pillow goes into the zippered cover, and the regular pillowcase goes on over the top. You wash the outer case often and the cover less often, which means the pillow inside rarely needs a full wash. If you are unsure which layer does what, our guide on pillow protector vs pillowcase explains the difference in detail.
One tip from our own laundry: buy covers in pairs, so the spare goes straight on while the other is in the wash.
A simple pillow cleaning schedule
Here is a practical routine for how to keep pillows clean in a typical bedroom. Treat it as a starting point and speed it up if you sweat heavily, wear products to bed or share the bed with a pet.
| Layer | How often | How |
|---|---|---|
| Pillowcase | Once a week, more often for oily skin or heavy sweating | Wash with your sheets, following the fabric label |
| Zippered cotton cover | Every 1 to 2 weeks (our care guide suggests weekly), and right after a spill | Warm or cold gentle cycle, mild detergent, low heat dry |
| The pillow itself | At least twice a year if the label allows washing | Gentle cycle, small amount of detergent, dry until fully dry inside |
| Airing and fluffing | Daily fluff, airing once a month | Shake it out, then hang it outside or by an open window |
| Spot cleaning | As soon as you notice a mark | Damp cloth with a little mild detergent, then air dry |
The twice a year figure for the pillow lines up with the Sleep Foundation guide to washing pillows, which also says to check the care tag first. For the outer layer, our post on how often to wash pillowcases breaks down when weekly is not enough.
A small trick that keeps the schedule on track: wash the cover on the same day you change the sheets, so you never have to remember when you last did it.
How do you freshen a pillow without washing it?
Sometimes a pillow smells a little stale but is not due for a wash. Knowing how to keep pillows clean between washes saves wear on the fill. Try these:
- Fresh air and daylight. Hang the pillow on a line or a chair by an open window for a few hours on a dry, breezy day. Turn it halfway through.
- A no heat dryer cycle. If your pillow can go in the dryer, a short run on the air or no heat setting with two dryer balls lifts the fill and pushes out dust.
- Baking soda for odors. Sprinkle a light layer over the pillow, leave it for an hour or two, then vacuum it off with an upholstery tool. This works best on foam pillows that cannot be washed.
- Spot clean marks. Dab, do not scrub, with a damp cloth and a drop of mild detergent. Let the area dry completely before the case goes back on.
A fabric spray on its own only masks a smell for a night. If a pillow still smells after airing, it needs a real wash.
How to wash the pillow itself without ruining it
Always read the care tag before you wash a pillow. Solid memory foam should not go in a machine, and many feather and down pillows need extra care. Fiber filled pillows are usually the easiest to wash at home.
Our machine washable microfiber pillow is a good example of the steps. Its care guide says to machine wash cold on a delicate cycle with mild liquid detergent, tumble dry thoroughly on low heat with dryer balls, then shake and reshape by hand so the fibers spread out evenly. The fill sits inside a 233 thread count cotton percale shell.
A few things we have learned from washing pillows over and over:
- Wash two pillows at once if your machine has room. It balances the drum and stops the machine from banging.
- Use less detergent than you think. Too much leaves residue that makes fill stiff.
- Do not trust the auto dry setting. It senses the surface, not the center of the pillow.
- Squeeze the middle before you put it back on the bed. Any cool or damp spot means more drying time.
That last point matters most. A pillow that goes back on the bed damp inside will smell musty within days, which undoes the whole wash. When it comes to how to keep pillows clean, full drying is the step people rush and regret.
How do you keep pillows fresh in storage?
Spare pillows for guests often come out of the cupboard smelling stale. It takes very little to fix.
The rules for how to keep pillows clean in storage are simple. Start with a clean, completely dry pillow. Then zip it into its cotton cover and store it in a breathable cotton bag or an old pillowcase. Avoid sealed plastic bags for long stretches, since any leftover moisture has nowhere to go. A dry shelf works better than a damp basement or a loft that gets hot in summer.
When you take the pillow out, give it a good fluff and a few hours of fresh air, or a quick no heat dryer cycle, before anyone sleeps on it.
If you are setting up a guest room from scratch, it is worth looking at our full range of hotel-quality pillows and bedding so the covers and pillows match in size.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you keep bed pillows clean and fresh?
For most homes, how to keep pillows clean comes down to layers. Use a zippered cover under a pillowcase, wash the case weekly and the cover every week or two, and wash the pillow at least twice a year if the tag allows. Daily fluffing and airing the bed each morning keep it fresh in between.
Should you wash a new pillow before using it?
Most new pillows do not need washing first. If it smells of packaging, air it out for a few hours by an open window or give it a short no heat dryer cycle, then put it in a cover.
Can you wash pillows with your sheets?
It is better not to. Pillows are bulky and need a gentle cycle and longer drying, while sheets usually go on a normal cycle. Wash pillows on their own, ideally two at a time.
Why do pillows smell even after washing?
Usually the center was not fully dry or too much detergent was left behind. Run another low heat dry with dryer balls, and next time use less detergent and an extra rinse.
Is it bad to sleep with wet hair on a pillow?
It is one of the fastest ways to make a pillow damp and musty. Water soaks through the case into the fill, and it may not dry out by the next night.
How do you keep white pillows from turning yellow?
Block sweat and oils before they reach the fill with a zippered cotton cover, change the case weekly, and dry the pillow fully after every wash. Avoid chlorine bleach on cotton covers, since our cover's care guide advises against it.
What is the easiest way to keep throw pillows clean?
Choose throw pillows with removable covers, wash the covers every few months, and vacuum the inserts lightly when you clean the sofa. Spot clean any marks as soon as you see them.
When should you replace a pillow instead of cleaning it?
If it stays lumpy, flat or smelly after a proper wash and full dry, cleaning will not bring it back. If you replace it with our microfiber pillow and it is not right for you, you can return it within 30 days of delivery.
