How To Fluff a Pillow

That feeling of resting your head on a fresh, new fluffy pillow makes your bedroom feel like a 5-star hotel experience. That feeling lasts for the first few weeks after you purchase your pillows but once they begin to lose their fluff, it gets all the less exciting. You learn how to make a bed, fold a fitted sheet, but did you ever learn how to fluff a pillow properly?

Fluffing your pillow can not only give you a luxury sleeping ecperience, but it can keep your pillow in its best shape until it’s time to retire it. While it’s true most people aren’t replacing their pillows frequently enough, there’s no need to shell out for a new pillow every time yours loses it’s fluff. There’s a lot you can do first.

Manually

Who needs washing machines to fluff a pillow when you can do so with your own hands? There are a couple of techniques that you can try, to give your pillows their fluff back. Hitting the pillow on the bed by holding it from one end usually works. Make a fist and keep hitting the pillow till it regains its fluff density.

You can also manually compress the filling by kneading it, or massaging it with some force. Use your fingers, knuckles or make a fist to knead it turn by turn, so you don’t get tired. You can also compress the pillow from both ends by squeezing at the same time and bringing the filling to the center, releasing it quickly to re fluff pillows. You might need to repeat this a couple of times before the fluff is restored.

Many times, people remove all the filling from the pillowcases and then refill it with the same filling. Since the filling gets the space and time to expand, once taken out, it helps regain your pillow’s fluff. This especially works wonders when it comes to fluff a polyester pillow and other fillings like cotton, wool and feather/down. Some pillows now even come with extra filling, which can be used to adjust the pillow’s density or refresh worn out filling.

Get Your Pillows Some Air

What you have probably not been doing is putting your pillows under the sun to get them some air. Pillows are bound to absorb sweat, body oils and dirt released from our hair and skin. This moisture gets trapped and makes the pillows flat. Exposing them to air and sun can free them of bacteria, as well as make pillows fluffy again. Place them flat on a table or hang them on a wire and switch sides if they are not getting even amounts of sunlight. You want to knead and massage the pillows while they’re out getting dried, to help restore the fluff.

Wash and Fluff a Pillow in the Dryer

how to fluff a pillow

Cleaning your pillows occasionally is a must. Not simply to rid yourself of the dirt and sweat you lay your head on every night, but also to bring back its fluff. When the pillows spin inside the washing machine, they automatically get a chance to regain their fluff, since the machine does the manual kneading and massage for you.

Once washed, you can either fluff a pillow in the dryer or dry them naturally under the sun. This largely depends on the kinds of pillows you have, since polyester pillows can’t face the test of washing and will crumble. Down/feather pillows however, can be washed and dried in a washing machine, but certain precautions need to be taken.

With Tennis Balls

It is always advised to avoid using heat dry method for it may burn the pillows or leave a lasting unpleasant odor in your pillow. Air drying your pillows will suck out all the moisture and will also knead the filling to give it a new look. This requires placing two or more tennis balls in the dryer along with your pillow. The tennis balls are basically there to continuously keep your pillows fluffed up. They prevent the pillow filling from forming clumps and deflating. You can also manually massage the pillow after every spin so the pillows retain their fluff.

Without Tennis Balls

If you however, want to make pillows fluffy again without tennis balls, or fluff pillows in the dryer without using tennis balls, you can use a couple of other options. A pair of flip flops (washed of course) works as a good alternative. You can also throw in a couple of T-shirts wrapped in the shape of balls and start the dryer. If you have toddlers, you can always use their stuffed toys to serve the purpose. You can use this technique to fluff a body pillow as well. Not only do you get fluffed up pillows but clean stuffed toys as good as new.

Easy Everyday Maintanence

how to fluff a pillow

To make pillows fluffy, make it a habit to knead your pillow from both sides every morning when you wake up. You can also place them on a sofa vertically, since staying in a particular position for longer duration deflates them. Good quality pillows definitely last longer if you practice this regularly. However, if you haven’t invested in good quality pillows yet, the results won’t be as impressive.

Punch your pillow, making it a punch bag and vent out any frustration you may have while fluffing your pillows. It’s a win win.

Pillow Protectors Work

Pillow protectors save your pillows from accumulating all the dirt and oil, as a result of which pillows retain their fluff for longer. On the contrary, pillows with no covers will flatten out sooner than you know. Of course the quality of the filling has a huge role to play, but it’s always advisable to invest in a pillow protector.

Bottom Line

While there is a lot you can do to extend the quailty, support and life of your favorite pillow, there is going to be a day when none of the above would make a difference, because your pillow filling life has ended by then. When you begin to notice dents and balls that feel like bumps you can’t break up, it’s time to bid farewell. You can also run a small test, by squeezing the pillow from both ends and putting pressure on it to see if returns to its normal position. If it doesn’t, it’s fluffiest days may be coming to their end.

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