How To Protect Your Bed Pillow?

The average bed pillow is used for several years and considering all it goes through holds up pretty good. Between saliva, makeup, dust, dead skin cells, dust mites and all kinds of bacteria you may want to rethink how long you keep your bed pillow. Research has shown that on average an article of bedding like a pillow has a certain percentage of its weight in dust mite feces and dead skin cells – surely those can't be good for your allergies.

A bed pillow is used to provide support for your head based on how you sleep – whether side, back or stomach in nature. Your pillow is one of the most important things on our bed because regardless of your mattress and its age – it alone helps to keep your neck comfortable and hence your back. A bad or uncomfortable pillow can cause severe health issues like sore backs, stiff necks and a general state of misery the following morning.

A bed pillow should be washed at least once a year in hot water and a high heat cycle to kill off any bacteria that is not blocked by other things like a pillow protector and of course your pillowcases. Most pillows of the down or down alternative variety can be washed. Pillows that cannot be washed include what is called garneted polyester – which are basically rolled up polyester batting that is stuffed into the inside of the pillow (the 2 for $10 pillow variety). Typically any pillow over $25 is in the down or down alternative range and is fine to properly wash (TryBeddingCare.com).

A pillow protector is an article of bedding that typically has a zipper closure mechanism and goes over your bed pillow to protect it from daily wear. There are many styles of pillow protectors ranging from high thread count natural cotton to bed bug resistant covers. In general natural cotton is the best form of pillow protector fabric because it can allow your pillow to breathe versus feeling clammy like a polyester membrane bed bug cover. In many cases high thread count fabrics can block dust mites so it is not mandatory to buy one that says it is dust mite proof. Now if you live in a residence that may have the possibility of getting bed bugs then you will unfortunately need to buy a cover that is bed bug proof.

When properly covered with a pillow protector your bed pillow can be washed once a year. Your pillow protector can be washed either when you do your weekly linens or every other week. For your protective bedding like pillow protectors and feather bed protectors we suggest washing at high temperatures and drying high as well. This will kill of much of the bacteria that accumulate in your sleeping areas.

Finally it is important to wash your linens once a week and to give you pillow a good fluffing every day to make sure it is nice and plump for dozing off to sleep.