Pillow Lifespan: How to Make Your Pillow Last Longer

Learn essential tips to extend your pillow's lifespan and improve your sleep quality. From regular fluffing to recognizing signs of wear, ensure your pillow remains fresh and supportive for a restful sleep experience.

Understanding Pillow Lifespan

You've finally found the perfect sleep pillow — soft, cozy, and supportive. It supports your head and neck, and helps align your spine so you wake up without aches and pains from poor sleep posture. Its quality materials look and feel great, and they help you control your allergies. You want your sleep pillow to continue to look and feel great for a long time. But how do you maintain its comfort and durability for the long term?

Learn how to prolong your pillow's lifespan and ensure continued comfort with these expert tips:

• Regularly fluff your pillow to maintain its shape and loft.
• Use a pillow protector maintain cleanliness and protect from dust mites.
• Give your pillow proper care with regular washing
• Expose your pillow to sunlight and fresh air for added freshness.
• Rotate between pillows to allow them to rest and rejuvenate.
• Invest in high-quality pillows for long-lasting comfort.
• Recognize wear and tear signs it's time to replace your pillow.

Tips for Prolonging Your Pillow's Lifespan

Fluff Your Pillow Often

Over time, the pressure of your head on the pillow will cause the stuffing inside to shift and become uneven. No matter what materials your pillow is made with, regular fluffing will help redistribute the stuffing so that the pillow retains its original shape and loft. Here’s how to fluff your pillow. Remove the pillowcase and pillow protector. Then hold the ends of the pillow and squeeze the pillow gently like an accordion, several times. Shake the pillow gently, not aggressively, so you don’t damage the stuffing. Then turn the pillow over and repeat. You can also fluff pillows in the dryer. Set the cycle for 20 minutes at a low temperature. Adding a tennis ball will help redistribute the pillow’s stuffing evenly. Do not put memory foam pillows in the dryer.

Use a Pillow Protector

The best way to protect a new pillow is to enclose it in a pillow protector. The washable pillow protector will absorb oils and fluids and keep them from seeping into your pillow. It also will help keep dust mites and other allergens from getting into your pillow. Remove and wash the pillow protector regularly. Rotate Your Pillow Regularly It’s good to flip your pillow over regularly so you are not always sleeping on the same side and on the same spot. Make it a habit to turn the pillow over each time you make the bed, or when you change the bedding, flipping it both horizontally and vertically.

Regular Washing Routine

Another essential aspect of pillow maintenance and proper care is regular washing. Most pillows are machine washable. If you notice debris, stains, odors, or other signs of a soiled pillow, you can throw it in the washing machine. Wash on a gentle cycle with a mild detergent. Wash the pillow by itself and not with a regular laundry load, as this allows the pillow to better retain its fluff. Then tumble dry your pillow on a low setting. Read any care labels that come with your pillow and follow those instructions.

Give it Sunshine and Fresh Air

Like you, your pillow will benefit from sunshine and fresh air. Place it outside on a dry, sunny day and let it soak up some rays. This is a great follow-up to a machine wash and dry. It will help evaporate any moisture in the pillow, which helps the pillow retain its fluffiness. It will also leave your pillow with that fresh air smell. Do not put it outside if the humidity is high. Store in a Well-Ventilated Area To keep it fresh and odor-free, store your pillow in a closet, cupboard, or other area that has good air circulation. Never place it in a plastic bag as this will allow moisture in the pillow to mildew and create odors.

Alternate Pillows

You may have a favorite style pillow, or even a couple of types that you enjoy, so have at least two pillows you can alternate. This gives you an opportunity to change out pillows, then refresh and restore the original pillow with some of the steps we’ve discussed, such as a wash and dry, fluff, and time in fresh air. Both pillows will last longer when given time to rest.

Choose High-Quality Pillows

Choosing a high quality pillow is an important factor in how long your pillow will last and, more importantly, the sleep experience you will enjoy with it over time. Inexpensive pillows have less filler, usually low-quality polyester. As a result, these pillows will compact and become hard rather quickly, making them unable to provide head and neck support and the comfort you need to get a good night’s sleep. A better quality pillow, like our lineup of Sobel Westex luxury hotel pillows, will have ample filling of high quality materials, and internal construction that helps the pillow retain its original shape, softness, and support.

Recognizing Signs of Wear and Tear

When it’s Time to Replace Your Pillow

If you buy a quality pillow and care for it with the few simple steps we have outlined, you should get several years of good service from it. However, it's essential to recognize signs of wear and tear that indicate your pillow may need replacing, as all pillows eventually do. So how often should you replace pillows? If your pillow reaches a point where it no longer bounces back if you fold it in half, or if it no longer gives you the comfortable head and neck support you had been used to, or if washing no longer makes it look and smell fresh and clean, it is time to replace it. Signs of wear and tear, such as flattened areas, lumps, or an uneven surface, are clear indicators that your pillow has reached the end of its usable life. Ignoring these signs can lead to discomfort, including neck pain, and may negatively impact your sleep quality. Now that you know how to care for your bed pillow, you can choose just the right one, such as our Hotel Dolce Notte Soft-Medium Pillow for side sleepers or our gel-filled Hotel Sobella Supremo Queen Pillow for back and stomach sleepers and know you will enjoy years of comfort and a great sleep experience.