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How To Remove Yellow Stains On Pillow Cases?

How To Remove Yellow Stains On Pillow Cases?

Pillowcases can get stains as we use them for long periods. Stains can form on the pillowcases mainly because of sweat, saliva, and other moisture absorbed by our pillows during our sleep. In this article, we will be answering the question of how to remove yellow stains on pillowcases?

When your pillowcases have yellow stains, you must first loosen the chemical bonds of the greasy and waxy substance and the fibers of the fabric of the pillowcase. You can use hot water to soak the pillowcases and make the washing easier and faster.

Pillowcases need to be washed regularly using washing powder, bleach, borax, and dishwasher detergent powder.

Here is the step by step instruction on how to remove the yellow stains on pillowcases:

  1. Fill a sink with hot water and use 1/4 cup of liquid dishwashing detergent (dawn, fairy or sunlight) and add a cup of baking soda. Mix thoroughly then add the pillowcases with yellow stains.
  2. If you have a scrub board, you can use it so you can easily remove the stains from the pillowcases. Scrub the fabric against itself and repeat until you are satisfied with the outcome. This method can weaken the stains and make it easier to remove as you move on with the process.
  3. Use another basin and drain the one that you have been using soaking the pillowcases. Use hot water once again and add more liquid dishwashing detergent. Soak the pillowcases for an hour or two. You can do this overnight so you can allow a longer time to soak the pillowcases. After soaking, you can use hot water to rinse the pillowcases until the water is clear.
  4. Wash the pillowcases in a washing machine with hot water, laundry detergent and wash it normally. Dry them after washing.

Prevent stains from returning on your pillowcase by doing the following steps below:

  1. Shower every night before sleeping. This can prevent the pillows from absorbing dirt, dead skin cells, oils, and other grimy stuff from your body.
  2. Avoid using fabric softeners and dryer sheets when washing and drying your pillowcases. This stuff coats the fabric with a light layer of wax or grease and can attract more oils, dirt, and moisture on your pillows.
  3. Use vinegar plus oxygenated bleach when washing your linens and pillowcases. An important tip to remember: Never mix vinegar and chlorine bleach! Always remember to wash your bed linens using hot water all the time. Hot water can help loosen stains, especially if they stick in the fibers of the pillowcases fabrics.

Use the steps mentioned above to keep your pillowcases clean and stain-free and prevent them from getting stains again.

Why do pillows turn yellow?

There are lots of reasons why pillows turn yellow. Here are some of them:

  1. Moisture can be absorbed by the pillows and pillowcases while we are sleeping.
  2. Sweat, saliva, oils from our body can seep into the pillow and cause yellow stains.
  3. Pillows break down, and sometimes the yellow stains are caused by natural wear. Sometimes the stains on the old and faded fabric are permanent and cannot be removed. Time to get new pillows if that happens.
  4. Direct sunlight can cause the fabrics of pillows to become destroyed, therefore resulting in the pillow covers to have stains.

How to prevent your pillows from getting stains?

You can use pillow protectors with zippers. You can get two on each pillow, one can protect your pillow, and the other one can be used as a pillowcase. You can check your pillows frequently when you change your bed linens. Inspect it for any spots, and if there are spots present, you can wash and clean it accordingly. Do a routine check for your pillows so you can spot and deal with the stains before it becomes worse.

Pillows with stains can be easily thrown away in the garbage, but you can wash and clean them by properly treating and maintaining them to preserve its life.

How to whiten your pillows?

What are the different methods that can be done to whiten your pillows full of stains?

Machine washing your pillows.

a. Check the pillows care tags – It is a must that you check the care tags of pillows before you start washing and cleaning them. Most pillows are machine washable, although some needs to be dry cleaned or spot cleaned because the fabrics of these pillows can be destroyed when it gets washed in a washing machine.

b. Spot treat any stains in the pillows – Pillows are prone to get stains because of the moisture that seeps inside it while we are sleeping at night. You can use a stain removal spray or baking soda paste mixed with water to remove small stains in the pillows.

c. Wash pillows – You can remove stains from the pillows by using a mixture of dishwashing detergent, vinegar, and laundry soap. This mixture can be used to wash your pillows.

You can also hand wash your pillows if you want, but the process can be quite long and tiresome. Rinse the pillows after washing them – You can rinse the pillows by using hot water mixed with vinegar so it can remove the thick and grainy mixture that may adhere with the pillows. The hot water and vinegar rinse will also sanitize the pillows and keep it clean and stain-free.

Keep reading: How To Remove Blood From Mattress (GUIDE)

Check the color of the pillows

You can remove the pillows from the washing machine and check the color if it has improved and the stains have been removed. If the stains are still present, you can use peroxide with water to try and remove the stains again. After this procedure, if the stains are still present, then it is possible that the stains are already permanent and will not be removed using any procedure or method.

Dry the pillows

If you were able to clean the pillows and remove all the stains and restore its white color, then you can put it inside a clean dryer and put tennis balls with it. Use the air-dry setting of the dryer, and the tennis balls will help the pillows fluff up and restore its form once again. You can place the tennis balls in socks or wrap it inside a shirt so it can mask the rubbery smell of the tennis balls.

How to keep your pillowcases clean and stain-free?

  1. Change pillowcases and bed linens every week. Every time we go to sleep, our sweat, oils, saliva, dead skin cells and moisture from our bodies are absorbed by the pillowcases and pillows. By cleaning and washing those weekly, you can make your mattress and pillows clean and make them last longer.
  2. Apply linen spray. You can use linen spray on your pillow and bed linens to keep them fresh and clean in between washes. If you like specific scents, you can choose ones with essential oils to keep your pillowcases and linens smell nice and clean. Lavender oil is a nice choice because it can serve as a sleeping agent for individuals who are having a hard time to sleep. It can help you relax and get a good night's sleep.
  3. Clean the pillows every six months. Washing pillows can prevent dirt and stains from building up. For individuals who tend to sweat a lot during the night, pillows need to be washed frequently because moisture attracts bacteria and microbes, and more sweat can cause more yellow stains on your pillows and pillowcases.
  4. Before sleeping at night, you must take a shower or clean your face and comb hair. Our hair and face get dirty throughout the day, and if you don't clean yourself before sleeping all this dirt will get stuck in your pillowcases and pillows. If you wear makeup, it can also cause more dirt to buildup in your pillows because cosmetic ingredients can increase the breakdown and damage of the pillows.

Pillows are one of the most used items in your home. You use it every night while you are sleeping and it is exposed in your oils, sweat, saliva, etc.

Over time, your pillow and pillowcases will get all the dirt and grime that your body produces, which results in yellowish stains that can be quite nasty to look at.

If you want to preserve your pillowcases and pillows, you must clean and wash them frequently so you can avoid the buildup of stains.