Mold and mildew can destroy your pillows and break them. Whether your pads are washable or not, whether you have an anti-snore pillow or another unique pillow, getting rid of mold or mildew at once and entirely is the key to retaining them clean, sanitary, and usable. Mold and mildew spores can switch to different surfaces easily, so it is essential to deal with mold and mildew as quickly as it seems on your pillows to stop it from spreading to other characters.
Pillows left in a storehouse or moist environments for long durations may additionally cease up with unsightly and doubtlessly harmful mold and mildew spots that you want to put off earlier than you can use the pillow again. Prevent mold and mildew on pads using tumble drying before storing them and airing them out in hot environments. Treat mold and mildew stains that have already appeared with the gentler, lighter solutions for lighter colors and the enhanced options for darker, extra chronic stains.
What is mold?
A mold is a fungus that grows in the structure of multicellular filaments referred to as hyphae.
Pillows are not spared from mold either. They accumulate moisture from our sweat, face oil, and add warmness to that equation. You will get a moldy pillow as a result if not cared about properly.
What are the terrible health effects caused by sleeping on moldy pillows?
Mold and mildew can grow anywhere if they find even minor favorable conditions. They do not cause much harm in small amounts, and our immune system is not attacked, but if their growth increases on a pillow, they start to develop many black or green color spots. These mold spots cause a series of allergies such as nasal stuffiness, mild cough to severe, eye irritation, skin rashes, blemishes, skin allergies, throat irritation, wheezing. For low immune people, these mold and mildew affect us badly, even beyond our thoughts How to Get Rid of Mold Smell.
Thus, sleeping on these molds and mildew is not good.
Ways to cure moldy pillows
Pillows, especially wool, silk, down and feather, hemp, cotton, and linen, are more prone to mold and mildew growth. If you want to have secure pillows get hypoallergenic and dust mite-resistant pillows. Pillows made from unique materials like memory foam, latex, gel-infused, anti-snore pillows do not absorb moisture, inhibiting mold growth.
There are many ways to treat mold and mildew from pillows starting from natural forms and ending up with solid chemicals to give you mold-free pillows.
Airing pillows under the sun
Dark and damp places are best friends of mold to grow, whereas hot sun and air are their great enemies. Place your affected pillow in direct sunlight and brush off the dried mold and mildew spots with a bristled brush. To keep your pillows fresh and safe from developing decay, air them out frequently.
Vinegar solution
Vinegar is a natural savior. Vinegar safely removes and kills black and green mildew stains on pillows. For lighter mildew, stains use vinegar or dilute it with water, treat the affected area, scrub gently with a damp sponge, and add baking soda for tough stains. Wash the pillows in the machine as per their washing instructions and dry them entirely in sunlight or low heat, setting tumble drying. The smell of the vinegar evaporates as the pillow dries.
Deep cleaning bleach
Wash pillows with ½ cup bleach in the washing machine at the hottest temperature to kill mold growth and mildew stains. For tougher stains, apply directly stronger bleach with a damp cloth and let it sit for at least 30 minutes, and then wash in the machine. If your pillows are not machine washable, apply bleach with a damp sponge and rinse after with soapy water in dabbing motion until all bleach and soap are cleared—dry pillows in super ventilated areas to keep them safe. Use gloves when handling bleach.
Fresh lemon
Cut the lemon in half and dip it in sea or table salt and scrub on the mildew stains, or you can either make a paste of salt and lemon juice and apply it to the affected area. Repeat the process until you achieve the desired results, wash the pillows as per care label instructions.
Ways to prevent mold
Prevention is always better than cure. Even if you have thoroughly cleaned your pillows, the mold will eventually grow again, as cushions absorb oils, sweat, and dead skin, providing a platform for mold to grow well. One of the easy ways to prevent mold growth is to try not to sleep with wet or sweaty hairs. Always try to sleep with dehydrated hair.
Pillows absorb moisture from damp hair and eventually, your sleeping companion build up mildew and smell terrible. Make sure your room is well ventilated and relaxed if you want to inhibit mold growth. Regularly air your pillows out to keep them fresh. Change pillow covers frequently. Replace your old pillows after 2 to 3 years.
I hope this information will help you in maintaining your pillows. Stay healthy and enjoy your good night’s sleep.