Pillows ... and sick

[Cathycat]

Does anyone manage to wash pillows that have been sicked on without ruining them forever? every time our children are sick the pillows are damaged. I rinse them off, put them in the washer, then they become lumpy and bumpy. I throw them away and buy more. Husband says it's fine as pillows need changing often for hygiene reasons and they don't cost too much but I am a scrooge and like to be careful with money lol! Hand washing in the bath? Yeuch! do they ever dry?!

[tabbycat15]

I don't think they are ever the same after washing. Do you use pillow protectors on them? Not sure if you can get waterproof ones. You are supposed to replace pillows regularly & they aren't that expensive.

[mathanxiety]

I buy new cheap pillows once a year.

Don't be a scrooge. Sleeping on lumpy pillows is not necessary to save a little money. There are better places to save a little money.

When anyone is feeling horrible or there is a D&V bug going in school I drape pillows with big cheap towels I keep for beach and pool and puking on. Saves the pillows and they are easy to scrape off and wash, sanitise and dry.

[Rosa]

I tend to bin them to be honest....

[InNeedOfBrandy]

I bin them, but then I only buy value/smart price pillows for dc. I also do the towel trick.

[RachelHRD]

You can get washable pillows now - I got some for DS (5) and his new mid sleeper bed and washed before use and it didn't come out lumpy and then he got a sickness bug within a week so it got washed again and was fine. I think the ones I got were Silentnight from Sainsburys - I think Sealy do them too.

[sausagesandwich34]

urgh!

I don't mess around with sick -they get double bagged and binned

[Startail]

DD has a thin washable foam cot pillow.

She gets that and fleece blankets on the camp bed if she feels sick.

She usually lives in a bunk almost touching the ceiling. Given she has books, laptop, iPod, chargers, soft toys etc up there it is no place for being sick.

I might be able to get a quilt in my new washer, but the washer drier ripped them, hence the blankets which wash and dry really easily.

[InNeedOfBrandy]

How can you always know if they're going to be sick star?

[stealthsquiggle]

Depends on the pillow - my DC have feather pillows with quilted pillow protectors on. If anything penetrates the pillow protector then I boil wash the pillow and they come up fine.

[ILikeWhisperingToo]

We all have waterproof pillow protectors on - think they're anti dust mite too? Not at all plastic-y they are terry towelling on the outside with soft water resistant lining and they just zip on - I leave the zips half open though because otherwise the air can't escape and it's like having a helium balloon under your head! Just chuck in the wash, buy a spare one or two for emergencies. From Dunelm Mill I think - highly recommend them.

It doesn't stop the bloody pillows going flat as a fart after a few months though any recommendations there?!

[ILikeWhisperingToo]

I think they are these I know we had to shop around because lots of pillow "protectors" are actually in no way waterproof - whereas these are.

Now, about these flat pillows...

[Binfullofgibletsonthe26th]

If they are feather pillows, like mine, I wash them at 90 degrees. Then dry them on an airer until almost dry. Then I bung into the tumble dryer with dryer balls which bring them up to their original fluffiness again. I use a pillow protector but ds gets very sweaty/drooly sometimes so I was the pillows t least twice a year.

I couldn't imagine throwing them away!

You have to use dryer balls or tennis balls to get them fluffy again though!

[InNeedOfBrandy]

Oh I didn't know I could wash my feather pillows, I only thought to myself I have had them almost a year time for a change, now I might just wash them. -if I can be arsed--

[mathanxiety]

You can wash anything with feather or down filling (including coats, jackets, etc) as long as you use three tennis balls in the dryer when you're drying them (and they must be puffed in the dryer -- they can't be dried all the way on a line or flat).

[mathanxiety]

More proof (if any is needed) that vodka makes everything better.

[Binfullofgibletsonthe26th]

I missed that, how can you be deleted on a post about pillow maintainance!!

[Ghostsgowoooh]

Well that particular poster has been offensive on other threads too so other he/she had been banned or all her comments deleted

I take it her post was unpleasant

[Ghostsgowoooh]

*either not other

[mathanxiety]

Not unpleasant as far as I could see (suggested washing pillows in vodka and baking soda) but there has been a bit of a hairy knuckle invasion I gather.

[mathanxiety]

sorry if repeating the content of the post is verboten.

[Binfullofgibletsonthe26th]

Ah, is it Honda owners, Truckers golf society bloggers, brothel officianados or Squaddies this week?

[Ghostsgowoooh]

Ah I thought MN been a bit weird today

[Onezerozero]

We have down pillows and they wash great. I didn't know I was meant to put tennis balls in the dryer, never heard of that! They seem to puff up fine anyway.

[Binfullofgibletsonthe26th]

I'd always recommend generally using dryer balls one, they help the dryer efficiency, dry the clothes faster and save energy.

You can buy packs of them in electrical shops.

www.dryerballs.co.uk/