Can I wash a pillow? How often should I wash the cover and the pillow itself?
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 It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.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.
Washing by filling type
| 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 |
- Why it gets dirty: a person is generally described as sweating about a glassful (roughly 200 ml) a night, and sweat, oil and dandruff from the head all collect in the pillow. House dust mites thrive on dandruff and moisture, and a pillow is an ideal place for them to breed.
- The cover: once a week; if it is cotton, washing at 40–60°C (104–140°F) removes both mites and skin oil more easily. Putting a pillow pad under the cover and changing that 1–2 times a week also works well.
- Dust mites: mites die at 50°C (122°F) in 20–30 minutes, and quickly at 60°C. For pillows that cannot be washed, a tumble dryer's hot cycle (if the label allows), or airing in the sun followed by vacuuming to remove dead mites and droppings, is effective. Sun-airing alone does not kill mites (the inside does not get hot enough).
- A pillow left damp after washing goes mouldy and smells. Dry it right through, and pick a run of sunny days.
- Replace it if the smell will not go, the yellowing is widespread, or it has flattened so the height is wrong. A pillow of the wrong height strains the neck and shoulders.
[Verify] The overnight sweat volume and the mite-kill temperatures are commonly quoted figures. Check them against municipal or specialist sources.
Misunderstanding 1｜Airing in the sun kills the mites
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.
Misunderstanding 2｜The pillow itself stays clean because I use a cover
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.
Misunderstanding 3｜Memory-foam pillows can go in the machine too
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.
Misunderstanding 4｜If I wash it, it will last for years
Fillings flatten. A change in height changes the load on your neck and spoils your sleep. Replace according to the guide for each filling.
Misunderstanding 5｜A buckwheat-hull pillow is natural, so it is hygienic
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.
---
Sources
- Consumer Affairs Agency (消費者庁), "The new care labels (JIS L0001)"
https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/representation/household_goods/laundry_symbols/
- Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Public Health (東京都健康安全研究センター), "Measures against mites (ecology and control of indoor mites)"
https://www.tmiph.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/
- Japan Bedding Goods Association (全日本寝具寝装品協会), "Caring for bedding"
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.
About this article
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.
Sources
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