Have you been washing your pillows at all? For most people, the answer is no. While it might seem out of the ordinary to wash pillows, you use them as frequently as you use your bed. Even though a pillowcase covers them, that doesn’t stop them from getting dirty. Experts recommend washing your pillows every six months to keep them in tip-top shape. But, how?

Most pillows are indeed machine washable. However, it is important to balance your load. Place two pillows in the washing machine to maintain balance during the wash. Select a delicate cycle and use a bit of vinegar along with your laundry detergent. While most pillows are quite durable, it is important to reduce agitation to prevent clumping. 

Some pillows, like memory foam and latex, are not machine washable and should be cleaned by hand instead. The agitation is too much and cant damage the integrity of the pillows shape. Instead of using your machine, try cleaning foam and latex pillows in a clean bathtub or basin. A cleaning soak will go a long way to removing unwanted skin, lint, hair, and dirt.

Do you use a Duvet Cover? Or, is your comforter used directly on your bedding?

Generally speaking, if the comforter does not have a protective duvet, try to wash it every one to two months. If the comforter does have a duvet, you’ll be okay to clean it a few times a year. Of course, this assumes that there are no spills or excess dirt caused by one-off incidents. 

In fact, one-off incidents are a common way to use a laundry service. Oftentimes, its a spill or pet that causes a comforter to be sent to the laundry service. Residential washing machines are often too small to properly clean comforters. We’re here to help!

Typically, mattress pads are not washed as frequently as sheets. While you might wash your sheets once per week, we find most people wash their mattress pads once every month.

While modern day mattress pads are created for comfort, don’t forget their original intent is to protect your mattress. Mattresses are expensive! And, they are hard to clean. Cleaning a mattress pad is much easier. So, be sure to clean your mattress pad before it is completely soiled. After all, what good is it going to do protecting your mattress is it is already dirty all the way through.

Mattress pads are often cleaned similar to your sheets. However, for bulkier pads, you might need to treat it like a pillow during the cleaning process. Be sure to check your mattress pad for care instructions as there is a range of types of mattress toppers with a range of care instructions.

Most people wash their bathmats every couple of times they clean their bathroom. In order to keep it clean and avoid any potential grossness, experts recommend that you wash it on a similar schedule to your sheets, every week or so.

While it’s easy to forget, when you think about the day-to-day work of your bathmat (and its location in your home), it’s clear that this is an item that needs to be cleaned frequently.

Bathmats are cleaned just like towels. They are durable and can be washed with higher heat with like items. Oftentimes, the biggest mistake you can make when washing bathmats is not in the washer – it’s in the dryer. Be sure the household bathmats are completely dry before pulling them out of the dryer. If not properly dry, the items can mildew over time. 

Dish towels have a range of uses. Sometimes they’re purely decorative and other times they are used to soak up kitchen spills. They dry hands, protect you while handling hot or sharp kitchen items, and keep your kitchen looking fresh and clean.

Because of their variety of different uses in the kitchen, they also accumulate all sorts of dirt and grime. Whether you think about it or not, most dish towels should be washed and dried after each daily use. By swapping out your dish towels daily you’ll keep your kitchen (and your hands) feeling fresh and clean.

Most people love cuddling up on the couch with a cozy throw blanket. Further, most people don’t think about how often they should be washing that throw blanket. Because these blankets are not used in your bedroom, they tend to get less use. We find most people wash their throw blankets once per month.

Pilling is common with throw blankets that are not properly cared for. Pilling can happen to any fabric, but it’s especially common in synthetic materials like polyester. Blankets made from these materials are often advertised as “fuzz-free,” but that doesn’t mean they’re immune to pilling.

If you’re looking for a blanket that doesn’t pill or fuzz, choose one made that has less of this material and is tight overall. These fabrics are less likely to break down in the wash and will hold up better over time.

Throw blankets can come in a range of materials so be sure to check the tag for care instructions before you toss yours in the machine every other week.