Remove yellow pillow stains easily with this ‘secret’ laundry trick to make them look new

White bedding looks incredible, especially paired with a Christmas blanket at this time of the year, but it is very easy for stains to show up on pillows which can make your bed look dingy and grubby. 

Stains are often caused by a variety of reasons, including sweat, oils from your skin or hair and even saliva. It is best to clean your pillowcases regularly to prevent any sort of build-up and it is recommended to wash them every two weeks along with sheets and other bedding.

However, if you are looking for a way to restore and brighten your older pillowcases or looking for an effective way to keep them white, then one cleaning expert has revealed the “secret to making them look like new.” 

Jill Nystul, a cleaning expert and founder of the One Good Thing housekeeping website, has shared there is a simple method to getting your pillowcases sparkling. In a blog post, Jill said: “In my experience, if you want to whiten dingy pillows, it’s not enough to wash yellow pillows in your washing machine with your usual detergent. 

“I discovered this firsthand a long time ago, but I was unwilling to admit defeat, and kept trying to figure out how to whiten yellow pillows until I found a method that worked!”

READ MORE: Keep towels soft and fluffy by washing ‘correctly’ with household essentials

How to wash yellow-stained pillowcases

You will need: 

• One cup of powdered laundry detergent
• One cup of powdered dishwasher detergent 
• One cup of non-chlorine bleach or a natural bleach alternative (such as hydrogen peroxide) 
• Half a cup of borax 

Instructions 

Before you begin, make sure to check the label of your pillowcase to make sure it is machine-friendly, as certain down pillows or feathered pillows can be destroyed in high temperatures.  

1. Soak your yellow pillow in hot water first in a container or your bathtub, as this will help the cleaning ingredients quickly dissolve any tough stains. 

2. Place a large pot on the stove, fill it with water and bring the water to a boil.

3. In a bucket, add your boiling water. Then, add your laundry detergent, dishwater detergent and borax. Stir until the powder dissolves. 

4. Once all the powder has dissolved, pour the water into where you are letting your pillowcases soak. Let the solution soak for at least 30 minutes but one full hour would be even better. Flip the pillows halfway through the soak to make sure both sides are being treated. 

5. After the soak, add the bleach to your detergent drawer and wash the pillowcases in your washing machine on a normal hot water cycle. Add an extra rinse if your machine has the option. 

6. Next, dry your pillows. It is fine to put the pillows in the dryer on a normal cycle most of the time unless it is a down pillow. 

Jill wrote “Down pillows should be dried on the “fluff” or “air” setting, while synthetic pillows can be dried on low heat. Add a couple of tennis balls or wool dryer balls to the dryer to help fluff the pillows as they dry.”

Your pillows should be white, sparkling and restored to help you keep your bedroom cosy this winter.