Washing a memory foam pillow/best way to clean following toddler sick session!

[mommybear1]

Hi

My toddler unexpectedly decided to be sick in our bed last night (of course couldn't be his own waterproofed one )! We have tempura memory foam pillows and one took the brunt of the sickness- the smell is horrendous. I have wet sponged it and hung it out last night under cover but it's still smelling horrendous today - I know you are not meant to wash these pillows in the machine but I'm wondering if I cold wash this one on a short wash it will be ok? Any ideas please?

Thanks

[CottonSock]

Not much other choice surely.
Wash and see it survives.
I had to bin a rug once due to a projectile vom incident.

[MikeUniformMike]

Put it in a large bucket or the bath, add washing powder and some disinfectant (not a Dettol or Pine one) and warm water. Leave to soak squashing it a bit so that the water can get in it.

Rinse it thoroughly and dry flat.

I've never tried it but it is worth a try.

Otherwise get a spray meant for mattresses or spray it with white vinegar.

[TerribleCustomerCervix]

I’d throw it in the washing machine for a quick wash with some laundry cleanser.

What have you got to loose? Either it works and the pillow is fine, or it goes a funny shape. Both outcomes are better than hanging on to a pillow that smells like sick.

[EloiseLane]

I would recommend the pet stain remover spray, by Simple Solution. Pets at home sells it. It's great at removing, ahem, biological smells!

I would try that first and follow with either a soak and wash with bio liquid in the bath, or a quick wachine wash. I agree with others, you don't have anything to lose at this point. It's worth a go as the pillow's written off anyway.

Our machine refuses to wash pillows as the load gets too one-sided, but hopefully that's just ours.

[mommybear1]

Thanks everyone I have gone for a "tame" approach of sprinkling (liberally) it with bicarbonate in the hope that absorbs anything let behind. I've left it overnight and will be vacuuming it off later I've given it a sniff mid way through and tbf it is smelling less sick like. I'll update! Thank you

[mommybear1]

Ok posting in case this happens to anyone in the future . I put the pillow in a large bowl and covered it with bicarb left it for 48 hours and then vacuumed it all over - the pillow smells amazing!!! No trace of toddler sick at all I've a very sensitive nose at the moment as I'm expecting my second so I would definitely recommend trying this. Thanks to everyone for your responses.

[MikeUniformMike]

Brilliant. Thanks for the update.

[RockinHippy]

Definitely do not put it in the machine, they get very heavy & could damage your machine bitter experience


I haven't tried this trick on memory foam as I didn't know it back then, so I'm not 100% certain if it's safe for the actual foam, but from experience, nothing else will work, so you have nothing to lose by trying...


Spray the pillow liberally with hydrogen peroxide, sprinkle over to cover the whole thing with bicarb of soda. Leave overnight & then hoover away the bicarb, this should take the smell & any stains with it. It's worked like a dream on other mattresses, rugs, bean bags etc, so I'm pretty sure it will be fine on memory foam

[RockinHippy]

Drat, I didn't rtft 😂

Glad it worked