Throw pillows are small but decorative, adding vibrance to an otherwise dull room. You get ample opportunities to combine other accessories with it and make the room a visual treat. Throw pillows are worth every bit of trouble you take in picking the right set to add the much-needed spark to your interiors.
However, like all other things in the house, throw pillows get dirty and need regular washing. And yes, you can clean them at home. But before you do that, check the washing instruction on its tag so that washing will not ruin them. We have tips to help you get your favourite interior amenity, the throw pillow, as good as new.
What Is the Right Frequency to Wash a Throw Pillow?
You may have to wash throw pillows monthly or bimonthly. If you live in areas where much dust gets in and the throw pillow is frequently in use, the need to wash may be weekly or fortnightly.
Houses that use vacuum cleaners to clean their upholstery may require washing monthly or biweekly. Throw pillows with protective covers are easy to change and stay clean for longer; the only thing that needs washing is the outer protective cover. In such cases, wash the throw pillow once in six months.
Washing Methods for Throw Pillows
Throw pillows are available in various kinds of fabric and stuffing material. That is why there cannot be one uniform manner to wash them. Check the washing instruction on the label and decide on the washing method for throw pillows.
If the throw pillow has wool and silk in the outer cover, and the stuffing inside comprises feathers or soft silk cotton, dry-clean them. Pillows with feathers wash well in the washing machine but use the delicate or gentle wash cycle. Also, don’t use detergent because it will wash the microscopic oil on the feathers to make them brittle. The feathers might even break.
The challenge in cleaning throw pillows with feathers is drying them after the wash. If they don’t dry well, mildew or mould can form on them and ruin them. So the best advice would be, don’t wash unless dirty.
But when you check the external cover, if you find them to be of a washable material like cotton, there is still a need to check the washing instructions on the tag on the throw pillow.
That is because you cannot see the stuffing material. If the stuffing material of the throw pillow is silk cotton, the washing could make the silk cotton form lumps and ruin the texture of the pillow.
The best way to keep using a throw pillow with silk cotton stuffing is not to wash it but to use a protective cover and sun-dry it without washing. That will make the silk cotton fluff, and the pillow will be as good as new.
Use the Washing Machine to Wash Throw Pillows
Before loading the washing machine with the pillow, remove the outer protective cover and double-check the instructions. If the manufacturer’s instruction permits machine washing, check all other instructions concerning the washing temperature and drying. Set the machine accordingly.
Check the Pillow for Stains
If there are stains on the pillow, the easiest way of getting them off is to use bleach. However, bleach will weaken the fabric and dull the colours of the buffer; It is advisable to use gentle stain removers and scrub the stain with a brush before landing a throw pillow into the washing machine.
Alternatively, spray the stain remover directly onto the stain on the throw pillow and use a sponge to do away with the colour. If you try to omit the strain removal procedure, the colour may get more stubborn and almost impossible to remove.
Wash the Pillow Covers First
Don’t load both the pillows and pillow covers together in the washing machine. Protect the colours and fabric by using gentle detergent on the delicate or gentle cycle in the washing machine.
Please don’t use the dryer to dry the pillow covers; instead, take them out of the washing machine and hang them out in the gentle sun for drying.
Then the Throw Pillows
Give the washing machine a brief rest before loading throw pillows two at a time into the washing machine in a gentle cycle. Once the washing cycle is complete, remove the throw pillows and dry them in the open or in the dryer using the low or air fluff cycle. Once they are dried and ready, fluff them up and check if the pillow covers have dried.
Cover the newly washed, fresh, sweet-smelling pillows with the dried pillow covers you washed in the first batch of laundry, and you will have clean and fluffy throw pillows that look almost like new.
Keep your home clean; use the vacuum cleaner to keep the upholstery clean, which will automatically keep throw pillows clean. However, if you still need to wash throw pillows, you can now do it easily with tips from the article. Also, buy easy-to-wash throw pillows to simplify the chore.
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