How to wash pillows—and get the filling fully dry

By Cleaning Notes

Many polyester, down and feather pillows can go in the washing machine. But the care label—not the pillow’s appearance—decides the method, water temperature and drying setting. Washing is only half the job: the filling must be completely dry before you put the pillow back on the bed.

First, check what you can wash

Remove the pillowcase and any removable protector. Read the instructions for the inner pillow separately from its cover: a washable cover does not mean washable filling.

Pillow fill or label	What to do
Polyester/synthetic, down or feather; label permits machine washing	Follow the machine-washing steps below, using the label’s settings.
Polyester/synthetic, down or feather; hand washing permitted	Use the hand-washing method below, then the specified drying method.
Memory foam	Do not assume it can be washed or soaked. Check the exact model’s instructions.
Latex	Check the core’s instructions; washing the removable cover may be the only permitted full wash.
Do not wash, or professional cleaning required	Do not substitute a gentle machine cycle or hand wash. Follow the stated care method.

Foam instructions genuinely vary. Tempur-Pedic says its pillow material must not be washed, while Coop permits machine washing for its Original and Eden inner pillows, but specifies spot cleaning for Cool+ foam. For Original and Eden, Coop requires securing the inner pillow’s zipper closed with a safety pin before washing cold on a delicate cycle. Organic Textiles says not to wash or submerge its latex cores.

Stop if the label is missing or unclear: identify the model and ask the manufacturer before wetting the filling. Also check for open seams or leaking fill; repair damage before washing. Make sure you have a permitted drying method available before starting.

Machine-wash a washable pillow

For polyester, down or feather pillows whose labels allow it:

1. Load without cramming. Whirlpool recommends two pillows at a time, where possible, to balance the load. Only do this if they fit comfortably and your washer’s loading instructions allow it. Use a larger machine rather than forcing bulky pillows into a small drum.
2. Add detergent sparingly. Use a detergent suitable for the pillow, following its dose guidance and any pillow-specific instructions. Avoid a generous extra pour: excess detergent can cause oversudsing and be difficult to rinse out.
3. Choose the permitted cycle and temperature. A gentle cycle is Whirlpool’s general recommendation, but follow any more specific pillow and washer instructions. Do not exceed the temperature on the care label.
4. Select an extra rinse if available. This helps rinse detergent from thick filling. If the pillow remains soapy, rinse again before drying.
5. Move it promptly to drying. Use the method allowed by the pillow’s label.

These steps follow Whirlpool’s machine-washing guidance; model-specific instructions take precedence.

Hand-wash polyester, down or feather pillows

Use this method only if the pillow’s instructions permit hand washing. For other fills, follow the manufacturer’s specific method rather than assuming soaking is safe.

Use a clean basin or bath large enough for the pillow, water at the permitted temperature and a small amount of suitable detergent. Gently press the pillow to circulate the soapy water through it. Drain, refill with clean water and repeat rinsing until the water squeezed out is no longer soapy.

Press out water gently, then press between clean towels. Do not twist or wring down pillows. Follow the label’s drying instructions—not a blanket assumption that every hand-washed pillow belongs in the dryer. See Whirlpool’s hand-washing steps and Hamvay-Láng’s down-pillow guidance.

Dry the filling, not just the surface

Use the label’s dryer setting. There is no single heat setting for every pillow. Whirlpool recommends low heat for synthetic pillows and no-heat air fluff for down or feather, subject to the care tag. Dryer balls can help fluff washable pillows during tumbling. Do not increase the heat beyond the permitted setting to finish faster.

Pause periodically to fluff and redistribute the filling. Check several areas, including the thick middle, rather than relying on the outside feeling dry. For an adjustable pillow, open it only if its design and instructions allow: Coop specifically advises checking inside its Original and Eden pillows to confirm the fill is dry. It also specifies drying one pillow at a time on low heat and warns that drying may take several cycles. Coop’s care instructions are specific to those models, not permission to unzip or empty every pillow.

If air drying is required, follow the maker’s directions for position, airflow and sun exposure. Sunlight is not a universal shortcut: even after permitted spot cleaning, Organic Textiles specifies drying its latex core flat, away from direct sun and heat. Its latex-care instructions explain those limits.

Do not cover, store or sleep on a pillow that is still damp. Continue the permitted drying method; a finished dryer cycle is not proof that the filling is dry. Complete drying helps prevent mildew, as Whirlpool notes. Put the clean, dry protector and pillowcase back on only when the pillow is dry throughout.