How to Wash Yellowed Pillows: 3 Tips to Leave Them White as New | August 8, 2025

If your duvets and pillows have started to yellow, it’s only natural. Over time, several factors, such as dust mites or sweat, affect the quality of your bedding. Fortunately, it’s possible to make yellowed pillows snow-white with the right tricks.

As you may know, everything related to bedding should be washed regularly, and pillows are no exception. In fact, it’s important to disinfect them and remove any yellowish stains that may have settled there.

Furthermore, pillows can easily become a breeding ground for dust mites, viruses, and bacteria. These come from, among other things, the sweat and dirt particles that form there over time. But despite the yellowish stains and odors that may emanate from your pillows, it’s not always necessary to throw them away. This is even more true if they are of good quality and have not exceeded a two-year lifespan.

Before taking such measures, instead, focus on low-cost cleaning tips to keep them looking their best. Here are some methods you can implement once a month to effectively treat them. This also applies to cushions and pillows.

What causes yellow pillows?

As you might imagine, the main and most common cause remains sweating. And for good reason: your pillow will gradually and irreversibly turn yellow every night due to this. Body sweat penetrates the pillow fibers before subsequently appearing on the surface. But while perspiration remains the most common cause, other factors come into play, such as saliva.

The fluids we secrete contribute to the yellowing of the pillow that absorbs them. Furthermore, this discoloration is not just an aesthetic concern; it is evidence that bacteria and mites have settled in the heart of the fibers. And it’s natural, since these creatures especially like moisture to thrive, which can cause conditions like asthma, allergies, or rhinitis.

Here are 3 effective methods for washing your yellowed pillows:

1. Hot Water and Lemon

Lemon is an invaluable and highly effective ally if you want to breathe new life into your pillows for a good night’s sleep with maximum comfort. The following trick will allow you to take advantage of the whitening and disinfecting properties of citrus fruits.

Start by boiling 2.5 liters of water and adding 6 glasses of lemon juice. Then soak the pillow in this lemon water for approximately 2 hours. All you have to do is wash the pillow with soapy water to remove stains before rinsing and drying it. Feel free to add more water so that the pillow is completely submerged in the solution.

2. White Vinegar and Baking Soda
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