How to wash pillows: Mum Carolina McCauley shares her cleaning secrets

A mum known for sharing her little-known ‘laundry hacks’ has revealed how to wash bedroom pillows.

Carolina McCauley, from Perth, used five household ingredients to make the pillows ‘squeaky clean’ again. 

To replicate the method, all you need is baking soda, gentle detergent mixed with hydrogen peroxide, white vinegar and eucalyptus oil. She also used three dryer balls to keep the shape. 

In a video, she demonstrated the quick and easy process, starting with reading the label beforehand. 

According to Asthma Australia, pillows should be washed monthly to help reduce the risk of exposure to the dust and dust mites.

Carolina McCauley, from Perth, used five household ingredients to make the pillows ‘squeaky clean’ again. She used baking soda, gentle detergent mixed with hydrogen peroxide, white vinegar and Eucalyptus oil

Depending on what the pillow is made from will determine how it should be washed. In this instance, Carolina owns pillows suitable for machine washing

Depending on what the pillow is made from will determine how it should be washed. 

Australian consumer company CHOICE advised memory foam pillows should be spot cleaned and latex pillows should be hand washed while polyester, cotton and microfibre pillows should be machine washed on a gentle cycle. 

Pillows made with goose down or goose feathers should be dry cleaned 

In this instance, Carolina owns pillows suitable for machine washing and placed two in the barrel of her front loader, ensuring the space wasn’t overcrowded. 

Carolina placed half a cup of baking soda directly into the machine barrel. 

She then poured one lid full of gentle detergent into the detergent drawer as well as a quarter cup of hydrogen peroxide to remove bacteria. 

Next, half a cup of white vinegar was poured into the fabric softener drawer along with a few drops of Eucalyptus oil to kill dust mites.

The mum also added three dryer balls with the pillows to ensure the shape is maintained then opted for a gentle wash cycle.

The cleanliness of your pillow can help ease allergies and keep your skin free from blemishes. 

In a recent article, the CHOICE experts wrote: It’s not pleasant to think about, but when you sleep on a pillow, the oils from your skin and hair combine with sweat and drool into one icky mess that’s absorbed into the material of your pillow.

‘It can create unsightly yellow stains or discolouration. Even if it’s covered up by a lovely floral pillowcase, it’s still there and could be breeding bacteria and mould or housing allergens.’