How to Remove Bad Smell from Pillows?

A delightful sleeping experience on a comfortable pillow can turn into a nightmare due to bad odor of the bedding accessories. A smelly pillow, whether it’s new or used, is something that you just cannot ignore.

It is close to your nose, and the very first thought that appears in your mind is how to remove a bad smell from the pillow. Replacing the pillow can cost hundreds and cleaning might be easier than buying a new one.

Clean and fresh-smelling pillows not only add to the aesthetics of your space but also ensure sound sleep. With time, natural oils, dust particles, body smell, and many other factors make these pillows dirty. The process is slow, and usually, we don’t notice the changes until the smell becomes strongly irritating.

How to Remove Bad Smell from Pillows?

A bad smell is not only irritating but hazardous, too. It’s better to keep your bedding accessories clean and germ-free. In this guide, we will talk about almost everything related to removing bad smells and possible preventions.

5 Ways to Clean Pillows and Remove Odor

Cleaning your pillows and maintaining hygiene is not rocket science. Little effort and periodic maintenance can prevent bad smell in pillows.

Here are the simplest methods to get the smell out of pillows at home:

• Vacuum the pillows to remove dust particles and debris
• Put the pillows in direct sunlight to kill bad odors and germs
• Use baking soda on both sides and then vacuum
• Use pillow-cleaning sprays or enzyme cleaners
• Wash pillows in the washing machine or by hand and then let them dry properly

These are five different methods or home remedies to deodorize pillows without professional help. But that’s just an overview. We want to elaborate on every possible detail of pillow maintenance and cleaning for our readers.

What’s the Easiest Way to Get Rid of Smelly Pillows?

Buying the new ones might seem the obvious answer but that’s not just practical. Of course, we have different guides about pillows, but we would like you to maintain the current pillow.

The easiest way to get rid of odor is to place pillows in direct sunlight for a day.

Well, that’s not possible for everyone so we are going to explore other possible options too.

What causes Bad Odor in Pillows?

If you keep cleaning pillows to get the bad odor out without dealing with the origin, you will be facing the same issue pretty soon.

We not only want to discuss how to freshen up pillows, but we also want you to detect and take care of the origin of odor.

Cause of Bad Smell in Memory Foam Pillows

Memory foam develops a bad odor due to dust particles, sweat, and natural oils from the head and body. The material type is more like a magnet for dust and debris.

Moisture remains trapped inside the memory foam, and over time, the pillow starts creating discomfort for your senses. Here are some major causes of odor in pillows:

• Sweat and body oils absorbed in the pillow
• Dust mites also cause the smell
• Mold due to environmental moisture or spilled liquids
• If pets share beds with you, their dander adds a bad smell
• The old age of the pillow and deteriorating material quality

Poor cleaning and maintenance or improper washing Debris, trapped moisture, body oils, and sweat provide a perfect growth environment for bacteria and germs.

Metabolic byproducts lead to smelly pillows with bad odor. Depending upon the material used in the pillow, the nature of the odor might be different.

Preventing the Bad Smell in Pillows

In general, pillows naturally develop bad smell due to environmental and human factors. Sometimes, spilled liquids also trigger the issue. Maintaining good personal hygiene and keeping your pillow covers and bed sheets can be quite useful in preventing irritating smells in pillows.

Once your pillow or bed sheets have started smelling bad, it’s time for you to focus on proper cleaning efforts. How to get the smell out of pillows at home? If you need a detailed answer, sit tight because things are going to get practical in the following section.

5 Effective Methods to Remove Bad Small from Pillows at Home

Sending your pillows to an expensive laundry service might resolve the issue. Why didn’t we mention this solution at the start? Well, hold your horses because we focus on providing actionable tips on pillow cleaning for our readers. We are not promoting any local laundry service in this blog.

These 5 pillow cleaning methods deliver the desired level of fresh look for pillows at home. Most of the items will already be in your laundry room. Get your gloves and big boy pants out. This Sunday, your pillows need your attention.

Method 1: Baking Soda- Deodorize Pillows and Kill Germs and Bacteria

Baking soda works as the best odor-absorbing agent. It is an inexpensive and easily available item in our houses. The texture of the particles removes the dust and oils, while chemical properties absorb moisture and oils trapped inside the pillow.

How to use Baking Soda for Pillows?

Sprinkling a thin layer of baking soda all over the pillow will be enough. But for better results:

• Make a mixture of baking soda, as ¼ cup of soda is enough for a standard pillow
• Rub baking soda evenly on both sides of the pillow, making a thin layer on the surface
• Let the layer sit for a few hours or overnight (if smell is too strong)
• Gently rub the pillow surface with a soft brush to remove stains and dust particles

Vacuum the pillow to extract the soda particles along with moisture, dust, and oils This is an easy and effective method to remove odor from pillows without washing.

Make sure to vacuum properly to extract baking soda from the pillow. This method is also useful for disinfecting pillows from germs and bacteria.

Method 2: White Vinegar- Natural Disinfectant to keep Pillows Clean

White vinegar is one of the commonly used agents in cleaning. The chemical nature of vinegar also makes it a good disinfectant and a safe option for humans. Distilled white vinegar has acetic acid, which takes care of odor-releasing bacteria.

Here is how to remove bad smell from pillows by using white vinegar:

• Fill a water bottle with an equal mix of water and white vinegar
• Spray the mixture on both sides of the smelly pillow
• Place the pillow in open for a few hours and let it air dry
• Put the pillow cover on once the pillow is fully dried
• The scent of vinegar will fade away within a few hours

This is a simple yet effective method to deodorize pillows at home. White vinegar is easily available in every household and preparing the mixture is also easy. Within a few hours, you will have a freshly smelling and clean pillow.

Method 3: Essential Oils- Best Method for Freshly Smelling Pillows

Essential oils are known to have a refreshing smell, and people like to keep these oils in their rooms, too. The use of essential oils may not help you get rid of bacteria or stains, but they surely help to get the bad odor out from pillows.

Here is how simple it is to get the smell out of pillows with essential oils:

• Choose light scents like lavender, lemon, or peppermint
• Take a half bottle of water and add 10-15 drops of scented oil to the spray bottle
• Shake it well to mix the oils and lightly spray on the pillow cover
• For a better and long-lasting effect, spray directly on the pillow by removing the cover too
• Let the mist dry, and your freshly smelling pillow is ready

Removing stale odor from pillows can make you fall asleep quickly. This method is useful when a bad smell is caused by natural reasons instead of spilled liquid or any similar reasons. Regularly spraying essential oils on your bedding accessories gives a fresh feel to your space.

Method 4: Activated Charcoal- Simple yet Effective Method

Charcoal is said to have amazing odor and moist-absorbing properties. Different applications of charcoal bags and pillow cleaning tasks can also benefit from these. All you have to do is take one or two air-purifying charcoal bags.

• Put the charcoal bags inside the pillow cover and zip it close
• The charcoal will start absorbing bad odors and moist and excessive oils from the pillow surface
• Keep it zipped for a night and remove the bags in the morning

No extra washing or vacuuming is required This is an easy pillow cleaning hack with fantastic results to offer. This is how you get rid of smelly pillows without washing them. No efforts are required except putting and removing charcoal bags in the pillow covers.

Method 5: Freeze the Pillow- Easiest Way to get the Bad Smell out

Cold temperatures can help to neutralize any type of smell from items, including pillows. Most people don’t prefer this method because they don’t want to place the smelly pillow in the freezer. With little precautions, you can get a freshly smelling pillow.

• Put the smelly pillow in a large plastic bag and tightly close it
• Place the bag in the freezer and leave it for up to 48 hours
• Make sure not to place any other item above or below the pillow bag
• Low temperatures will kill the bacteria and remove the bad odor
• Take out the bag, remove the pillow, and let it dry completely

Once the pillow is all dry, you will have a neutralized pillow with no smell. This method is effective but takes time. You can probably opt for this method while going out for the weekend. This way, you won’t miss your favorite pillow at night.

Washing Pillows to get out the Bad Odor

Most of the above-mentioned methods to deodorize pillows were about accomplishing the task without washing. Not all pillows can be washed easily.

Memory foam pillows and latex pillows require hand washing, and that’s quite a time-consuming process. Not everyone has the kind of time and energy to wash pillows to get the smell out.

Read Cleaning Instructions before Wash

Washing pillows is probably going to resolve the issue with the smell, but it might also deform the pillows. It is better to read the washing instructions on the pillow tag before any attempt. Product description will help you determine if you need to wash the pillow by hand or machine.

Let the Pillows Dry Completely

Once the pillows are perfectly washed and clean, drying them is also equally important. Trapped moisture inside the pillows can trigger even worse smells later on. Keep pillows in the open air for a day after the wash.

We have a detailed guide on washing pillows without ruining them. Readers can view the detailed instructions on how to maintain the quality of pillows while washing by hand or machine.

Tips to Keep Your Pillow Fresh Smelling

Daily habits of the user can help to maintain the quality of the pillow. Personal hygiene also plays an important role in the maintenance of pillows.

Here are some regular tips and habits to improve the lifespan of pillows.

• Wash your face at night before going to bed and also remove all types of makeup
• Change or wash the pillow covers after 10-15 days.
• Don’t place any drink, tea, or liquid on the pillow to avoid possible spills.
• Wash or vacuum pillows once a month to deep cleanse the dirt particles and debris.
• Machine-washable pillows must be washed twice a year

These are little tips that take no time or effort. Once you make these tips part of your daily routine, you will start noticing improvement in the cleanliness of your bedding.

A clean pillow with no dirt or oil exposure is less likely to develop any irritating odor.

Conclusion

Lemon juice, cleaning products, sprays and many other agents are available in the market to keep your pillows smelling fresh. These are some practical tips on how to remove bad smell from pillows.

This article covers the most effective methods that are tried and tested by millions of users worldwide. We highly recommend that you start cleaning and deodorizing pillows by exposing them to direct sunlight.

If that does not work, then you have other options available to remove bad smells from pillows at home.