By fluffing your pillows every day or almost, you prolong their life and improve their appearance. You can liven up any type of pillow except foam pillows.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: by hand
Step 1. Grab each end of the pillow with one hand
Squeeze it and pull it several times as if you were playing an accordion or barrel organ, but in a much faster motion.
- You can give it its shape again with your hands to place it on the bed or to slip it into the pillowcase. Puffy and fluffed pillows improve the look of the room and are also more comfortable for better sleep.
- Make sure you are not allergic to feathers or fluff before bed or liven up pillows that contain these materials; both are quite common allergens, especially for people with asthma or other lung diseases.
Step 2. Hit them
If they are not too wet, you can fluff them by hitting them simultaneously with your fists.
- Those filled with feathers are the easiest to revive, as they have the lightest filling; for these models a few well-aimed shots should be sufficient.
- Take the pillow and tap it on the bed a couple of times to make its shape more even.
Step 3. Squeeze it
Grab it by the top so it stays vertical and not horizontal like when you sleep.
- Move your hands down almost to the center of the pillow or just above the midpoint; squeeze it quickly, let it go and grab it again.
- Repeat the process for about five minutes. After fluffing the pillows in this way, shake them vigorously and put them back on the bed; hit them with the palm of your hand on each side.
Method 2 of 3: Dry the Pillows to Inflate Them
Step 1. Put them in the dryer with a tennis ball
You can place them in the appliance with a ball-like object to perform a drying cycle long enough to revive them. You can do this about once a month.
- Place the ball in a sock, tie the opening of the sock and put everything in the dryer for a few minutes. The pillow should be nice and swollen to guarantee you a good restful sleep; try this method only if you are unable to squash it by hand.
- Pillows with cotton filling can withstand a drying cycle of 20 minutes; this remedy saves you the work of having to hit them repeatedly. When finished, they should be completely dry and should look more puffy as soon as they are taken out of the appliance than when you mash them by hand. Remember to set a low temperature.
Step 2. Leave them in the sun
Pillows generally lose their volume due to humidity; exposure to sunlight should dry them out and make them softer.
- When you spray them by hand (by hitting and shaping them) you don't get good results, you should put them in the sun for a couple of hours; you can also hang them on the line to hang out the laundry if you have it.
- It should take three to four hours for the sun to evaporate the moisture. In any case, you can also consider washing them, based on the model.
Method 3 of 3: Know when to replace them
Step 1. Sprinkle them regularly
Revive them every day to keep them fit.
- In this way, you allow air to circulate in the padding, prevent the cushions from flattening permanently and having to replace them in a short time.
- Also systematically wash the pillowcase; nobody likes to sleep on a dirty cover, so you should put it in the washing machine every week.
Step 2. Change the pillow every few years
It is not always possible to restore it to its original condition and in this case it should be replaced.
- Experts suggest changing it every 4-6 years, especially to get rid of dust mites. Place it on a flat surface; if you notice any bumps or hollows, it's time to buy a new one. If you wake up with a sore neck, it is likely that the pillow is no longer providing the right support.
- Once it has been repeatedly squeezed and the padding stays flat due to moisture (such as sweat), it is difficult to restore it to its original softness; if it smells like mold, change it. Try folding it in half, release it and see if it quickly regains its initial shape; if not, you have to change it.
Advice
- You can add padding to flat cushions.
- Fluff them without a pillowcase to avoid wrinkling.
- Dry cleaning pillows is not a good idea.
- Reviving the pillows covered by the pillowcase does not damage the latter, you can also put them clean in the dryer without any problem.
