How to properly wash a body pillow? How often to wash and how to dry it!
“I don’t know how to wash my body pillow…” “I’m worried that the color of my body pillow, which has a two-dimensional character printed on it, will fade if I wash it…”
Many people use a hug pillow cover as a sleeping companion.
This article introduces the correct way to wash body pillows.
However, do you take care of your pillow cover and the body of your pillow?
By reading this article, you will be able to master the points to check before washing a hugging pillow cover and even how to care for the body of the hugging pillow.
We hope you will find it useful.
Points to check before washing a hugging pillow cover
A hugging pillow is dirty from sweat and sebum that you shed while sleeping.
However, it is difficult to wash a large pillow itself.
Therefore, it is a good idea to wash the cover of the pillow regularly to keep it clean.
The following points should be checked before washing a hugging pillow cover:
- Laundry label
- Material
Each of these points is explained in detail below!
♦ Washing indication of the hugging pillow cover
First, check to see if the body pillow is washable.
In most cases, the washing label tag is attached to the back of the body pillow.
Depending on the laundry label, there are various types, such as “machine washable,” “hand washable,” and “machine washable.
If you ignore the washing label, it may cause the fabric to sag or stretch and shrink, so be sure to check it carefully.
♦ Material of the body pillow
Before washing a hug body pillow, carefully check the material it is made of.
The following are the main materials used for hug pillow covers:
- 2-way tricot
- 100% cotton
- Satin
Of these, 2-way tricot, which is often used for body pillows with printed designs, is more prone to surface scratches, so be careful of friction.
Also, be careful with shiny satin, as it is prone to pilling and fraying.
Three ways to wash a body pillow
There are two types of body pillows: those that are hand-washed and those that are machine-washed.
There are three ways to wash a cuddle body pillow as follows：
- Hand wash
- Wash in a washing machine
- Wash a hug body pillow with illustrations printed on it.
If it is heavily soiled, pre-treatment is required.
Each of them is explained in detail below!
♦ How to wash when hand-washing
If the label says “hand-washable,” hand-wash the body pillow.
The necessary items and procedures are as follows.
What you need
- Washing tub or bowl
- Neutral detergent for fashionable clothes
- Washing net
- Dry bath towels
Washing procedure
- Fill a laundry tub or bowl with hot water (around 40°C), add a mild detergent for fashionable clothes, and stir well to dissolve it.
- Turn the body pillow inside out, close the zipper, and place it in a laundry net.
- Soak the body pillow in the laundry net for 5 to 10 minutes.
- When soaking is complete, remove the body pillow from the laundry net and unzip it.
- After washing, place your hand inside the cover and rinse it by rocking it up and down.
- Place the drained body pillow on a bath towel on the floor, wrap it in the towel, and dehydrate it.
♦Washing method when washing in a washing machine
If the washing indication is marked with numbers on the wash tub, you can wash it in a washing machine.
What you need
- Necessary items
- Washing net
- Neutral detergent for fashionable clothes
- Fabric softener if desired
Washing procedure
- Remove the cover, turn it inside out, close the zipper, fold it, and put it in a laundry net.
- To prevent color migration, be sure to wash the cover by itself.
- Add a mild detergent for fashionable clothes, and wash on a low water flow course such as “hand wash course” or “dry course.
- Dehydrate and dry
- When dehydrating in the washing machine, leave the cover in the laundry net for a short time.
♦How to wash a body pillow with an illustration printed on it
Wash with special care because there is a high risk of color fading for hug pillows with illustrations of two-dimensional cartoon characters and other characters printed on them.
It is recommended to wash them by hand, not in a washing machine.
If you are not comfortable washing at home, please ask a laundry service provider.
The necessary items and washing procedure are as follows.
What you need
- Neutral detergent for fashionable clothes
Washing procedure
- Wash by hand carefully.
- Avoid using bleach to prevent color fading.
- Turn inside out and hang dry in the shade in an airy place.
- The basic washing procedure is the same as the hand-washing procedure.
- When drying, avoid placing the garment in the sun to prevent the fabric from being burned or faded by ultraviolet rays.
- Pre-treat if the stains are severe.
- If a body pillow is heavily stained or soiled, pre-treat it before washing.
- However, since there is a possibility that the color may fade, check for color fading by pouring undiluted solution of neutral detergent on an inconspicuous area of the fabric and dabbing it with a cloth beforehand.
- If the color is not faded, pour the undiluted solution on the stain or spot and lightly wring it out.
- After that, it is safe to wash it as it is.
Points to keep in mind when washing a body pillow
1.Use a neutral detergent.
When washing a body pillow, use a neutral detergent for fashionable clothes.
Compared to alkaline detergents, neutral detergents have less risk of color fading and damage to fabrics, so they are suitable for washing cuddle pillow covers, which are often made of delicate materials.
If you want to add fragrance or a fluffy finish, you can also use fabric softener if you prefer.
Chlorine bleach and baking soda are not suitable for washing cuddle body pillows.
2. Washing frequency is once a month.
The frequency of washing a hug body pillow depends on the time of year and how dirty it is, but it should be washed about once~twice a month.
As a rule of thumb, wash them when you feel that the stains and odor are bothering you.
Bacteria on bedding can multiply four times overnight, so it is necessary to wash the bedding frequently.
However, be careful not to overwash, as this can damage the fabric and cause it to fade.
3. When drying, hang it in the shade.
When drying a body pillow, turn the cover inside out and hang it in the shade in an airy place to prevent damage from ultraviolet rays.
If the cover is left to dry after washing, it will cause it to smell fresh, so please hang it up as soon as possible after washing.
In addition, whether or not a dryer can be used depends on the body pillow, so please check the laundry label carefully.
Using a dryer has advantages such as “dries quickly” and “kills dust mites,” so if you can use a dryer, please use it proactively.
How to care for the body pillow
Basically, it is difficult to wash the body of a hugging pillow at home because the cotton inside becomes uneven and dehydration takes a very long time.
However, the main body of a hugging pillow is even more unsanitary than the cover, as it accumulates dirt such as yellowing and mites.
Therefore, even if the body of the hug pillow cannot be washed, it should be cared for regularly.
1. Drying in the sun.
Drying in the sun has a deodorizing and disinfecting effect.
Direct exposure to sunlight has a sterilizing effect due to ultraviolet rays, which prevents the growth of bacteria.
However, hug pillows made of “micro beads” or “low resilience urethane” material should be hung in the shade with good ventilation, as they are subject to damage from ultraviolet rays.
2. Spray with disinfectant/deodorant spray.
After drying them in the sun, we recommend spraying them with a disinfectant/deodorant spray.
Spray can be easily used when you notice it, and it will prevent odor and sterilize/deodorize!
Let’s send your body pillow to the laundry for washing!
If you find it troublesome to wash your body pillow, or if you want to wash not only the body pillow but also the body of the pillow, we recommend that you take it to the laundry.
Laundering is less time-consuming and there is less chance of laundering mistakes.