How to Wash a Pillow (Yellow Stains and All)

Strip the pillowcase and pull the pillow out of any protector. Find the care tag and confirm the pillow is machine-washable. Most synthetic, down, and feather pillows are - memory foam and latex are not.

If you have several pillows, sort them by type. Two synthetic pillows wash together fine; mixing a down pillow in the same load works too as long as the care labels match.

Spray a stain remover directly onto the yellowed areas. The head and neck zones get the worst of it - that's where sweat and oils concentrate. Soak the spots until the fabric is fully wet with the spray.

Let the pre-treatment sit for 5 to 10 minutes. The spray needs time to break down the protein bonds in the dried sweat before the wash cycle handles the rest.

Sprinkle a generous layer of baking soda or an oxygen stain powder over the pre-treated areas. The powder absorbs odors that the spray alone can't reach - the sour, slightly sweet smell that builds up in old pillows is often deeper than the visible staining.

Rub the powder into the fabric gently with your fingers so it gets into the fibers, not just the surface.

Load two pillows into the washing machine at once. The pair balances the drum so the machine doesn't shake itself across the laundry room. A single pillow on its own gets thrown to one side and unbalances the cycle.

Add a small amount of mild liquid detergent. Run a warm-water cycle on the gentle setting. Hot water is too aggressive for synthetic and down fills; cold doesn't dissolve the oils.

Move the washed pillows to the dryer with two or three clean tennis balls or wool dryer balls. The balls bounce around inside the dryer and break up clumps as the fill dries, restoring the loft.

Run on low heat for about an hour. Stop the dryer halfway through and check - any damp spots in the middle of the pillow mean it needs more time. Pillows must be 100% dry before you put them away or they grow mold from the inside.

If the weather cooperates, lay the dried pillows out on a drying rack in direct sunlight for an hour or two. UV light kills lingering bacteria and the sun gives the pillow a final fresh-air boost.

Fluff each pillow thoroughly by hand before putting the case back on. The fluffing reshapes the fill and gets you maximum loft for the first night of sleep.