Value Village ／ Clothing
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
Your face and scalp rest on a pillow for 6–8 hours every night, so it collects skin oil, sweat and dandruff. Even so, many people have never washed the pillow itself. Whether it can be washed depends on the filling, so here is how to read the label and how often to wash. Pillows sold in Japan carry a wide range of fillings, some of which will be unfamiliar.
| Filling | Wash at home | Drying | Replace after |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polyester fibre | Yes if the label allows (net, gentle cycle) | In the sun, reshaping part-way through. Takes 2–3 days to dry | 1–3 years |
| Plastic pipe (polyethylene) | Yes. In a net in the machine, or in the basin | Drains fast; half a day to a day | 3–5 years (when crushed) |
| Micro-beads | Mostly no. Escaped beads block the drain | Wash the cover only | 1–2 years |
| Memory foam (low-resilience urethane) | No (falls apart when wet and will not dry) | Shade only. Direct sun speeds deterioration | 2–3 years (when it stops springing back) |
| Feather and down | Depends on the label. Most are cleaner-recommended | Follow the label | 3–5 years |
| Buckwheat hulls (sobagara) | No (causes mould and insects). Air in the sun | Air in the sun several times a year; replace the hulls | 1–2 years |
[Verify] The overnight sweat volume and the mite-kill temperatures are commonly quoted figures. Check them against municipal or specialist sources.
The inside of a pillow does not reach 50°C. Sun-airing is good for driving out moisture, but for mites you need a hot tumble-dryer cycle, or washing combined with vacuuming.
Sweat and skin oil pass through the cover. Take the cover off and you will usually find yellowing on the pillow. A pillow pad on top reduces it.
Urethane soaks up water, breaks apart and never dries. It becomes a breeding ground for mould. Air it in the shade, wash the cover, and replace it when it deteriorates.
Fillings flatten. A change in height changes the load on your neck and spoils your sleep. Replace according to the guide for each filling.
Buckwheat hulls are vulnerable to moisture, insects and mould. They need frequent sun-airing and periodic replacement of the hulls, and are unsuited to a damp bedroom.
---
https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/representation/household_goods/laundry_symbols/
https://www.tmiph.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/
https://www.jbsa.jp/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
Follow the care label and the maker's instructions for any garment, shoe or bag. For expensive or sentimental items, ask a specialist cleaner or repairer.
Tell us if this has changed
Approved contributions keep the contributor's name, shown in five languages.
Other languages：日本語 ／ 简体中文 ／ 繁體中文 ／ 한국어
Value Village is not a government body. Always confirm procedures on the official site.
Written by Value Village from public sources. Nothing here is reproduced from another site.