Generally, bamboo pillows refer to memory foam pillows that have a protective case made partly of bamboo. Bamboo is a great material to use on pillows for several reasons. They can help with a number of sleep problems, but even if you don’t have a hard time sleeping bamboo can be cool at night and help keep your spine in the safest position possible so your muscles can relax properly at night.
Related: Best bamboo sheets
Here are more of the pros and cons of bamboo pillows, to give you a better idea of why they are becoming so popular:
Pros of Using Bamboo Pillows
- Bamboo helps maintain temperature and keep your head cool when you sleep
- Protects against bacteria
- Eliminates dust mites
- Perfect for people with asthma, allergies and lung problems
- Keeps your spine in better alignment
- Can prevent snoring
- Helps keep pillow cleaner
Cons of Using Bamboo Pillows
- most need to be hand washed and air dried
- have a funny smell at first that needs to be aired out
- most can be ruined by hot or cold water, being put in the washing machine
- can be more firm that people are used to
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Can You Wash Bamboo Pillows?
Despite the many benefits to buying and sleeping with a bamboo pillow, you should be aware that these pillows require a bit of extra care to make sure that they will last. Bamboo pillows, especially those with regular memory foam, cannot be machine washed. The washing cycle is too rough for memory foam and will cause it to lose its shape and even crumble to pieces.
If you want your bamboo pillow around to bring you comfort for a while, follow these general tips for washing bamboo pillows and make sure to pay attention to the instructions that come with the pillow you end up buying.
How to Wash a Bamboo Pillow in 4 Easy Steps
You might be thinking, “So how can you safely wash a bamboo pillow?”
The answer is simple; you hand wash it with love and attention. Get into a routine that involves washing your pillow once every few months and always do it the same way for best results.
Here are the steps for washing your bamboo pillow to that it will last and not fall apart on you prematurely.
What You’ll Need:
Materials: Mild or gentle detergent (like Woolite Extra Delicates Care Detergent)
Tools: A deep sink or a hand wash basin
Drying: A pillow drying rack can be quite useful to maintain the shape of the pillow while it dries out.
Instructions
1. Remove the bamboo cover and machine wash (the cover) on a gentle cycle using warm water
When washing a bamboo pillow or cover, never use water that is too hot or cold, or else either one can get ruined. Always wash gently in warm water to prevent damage.
2. Hand wash the memory foam pillow
Using a small amount of mild or gentle detergent (without bleach) and lukewarm water, begin to wash the pillow by hand. Squeeze in the detergent to make sure that the whole pillow is properly cleaned.
Remember not to use too much soap or water, or it can be really hard to rinse the pillow out and dry it properly. The pillow can be covered in water but it shouldn’t be thoroughly soaked through.
3. Rinse the pillow out thoroughly, until there is no more soap
It is important that you get all the soap out of the pillow after washing it. Make sure there are no suds left before you finish rinsing. So rinse several times. Once all the soap has been rinsed out and most of the water removed, you’re almost done!
4. Let the pillow air dry
See the best pillow drying rack hangers on Amazon.
How To Wash Miracle Bamboo Pillow?
The Miracle Bamboo Pillow from Ontel is made up of a proprietary blend of shredded memory foam and polyester microfibers encased in a removable polyester liner.
The Miracle Bamboo Pillow’s cover as well as its inner lining can be washed and dried in machines.
Simply remove the liner and wash both parts together in cold water on a gentle cycle.
Next, dry both the liner and its cover on a low tumble setting until they’re fully dry.
Place the liner in the cover and dry the pillow again to re-expand to its full size.
See the The Miracle Bamboo Pillow on Amazon
Can You Dry Bamboo Pillows In The Dryer?
Just like the washing machine, machine drying a bamboo pillow is a recipe for disaster (especially if it is done on a high heat cycle since it can melt the filler and ruin your pillow).
For best results, allow your bamboo pillow to air dry after hand washing, preferably hang to dry in the sun.
Make sure that the pillow is completely dry before use, since a little bit of dampness could allow mold or mildew to grow. You definitely don’t want to be sleeping on a moldy pillow, especially if you have asthma or any other breathing problems.
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Watch this great tutorial on getting rid of yellow stains from your pillows. (It’s recommended that you wash your pillows at least twice a year to keep them in shape and hygienic.)
How Long Do Bamboo Pillows Last?
With proper care and a weekly change of pillow cases on average a quality bamboo pillow lasts around two-three years.
Conclusion
We recommend that you clean your bamboo pillow once every three to six months if you want your pillow to last for a long time. Bamboo pillows are great for keeping cool and maintaining a clean pillow for you to sleep on at night.
Anyone can benefit from the comfort of a bamboo pillow, but people with allergies, asthma, and lung problems especially have an easier time sleeping once they get used to using a bamboo pillow. Bamboo pillows can even help someone stop snoring!
Keep in mind that this post just provides you with general guidelines for washing bamboo pillows. Each one is a little bit different, so make sure you check out the cleaning instructions on your individual pillow.
For example, some bamboo pillows like the ones with shredded memory foam, can be machine washed under specific settings and some memory foam pillows tell you to place them in the dryer to activate the memory foam.
Can you put the fiber in the dryer ( pillow case )
Cover not fiber
Yes Judi, the cover can be tumble dried but on a very low heat setting (or preferably hang to dry).
My cat peed on my pillow, from your washing description, it sounds like I’d be better off just throwing it out and getting a new one than worrying that I might not get it completely clean without ruining it.
just wash it how you like if you think you may end up throwing it out. if you plan on buying a new one then it wont be much of a loss if the old one is ruined in the washer/dryer. im kind of in the same spot, im lazy when it comes to washing pillows and tend to just get new ones if the old one is a pain to get clean. i think i paid 8 bucks for this bamboo one.