How To Fluff A Pillow (By Hand & In The Dryer)

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If you’re like me, you like to sleep on a soft mattress with clean sheets and a comfy pillow.

Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for good health, and having comfortable fluffy pillows is one of the most important factors in keeping your spine aligned, getting quality rest, and preventing you from waking up with neck and shoulder pain.

In this article, we’re going to dig into how to properly fluff pillows, no matter what materials the pillow is made out of. There are right and wrong ways to fluff a pillow, so let’s talk about what you should be doing, and what to avoid.

How to Fluff a Pillow By Hand

Before you try any crazy techniques, try fluffing your pillow by hand first. Lay the pillow down, and grab it on both the left and right sides of the pillow. Lift it up, and quickly compress and decompress the pillow. Do this for about 30 seconds, then flip the pillow and grab it on the longer sides and repeat for another 30 seconds. Next, give your pillow a good couple of punches, kneads, and smacks. This helps break up the materials and allows better airflow and overall fluffiness.You should notice the pillow is a bit thicker, but if the fluff dies down after a few seconds, move onto the next method. This technique is best suited for feather pillows as they feature the lightest fill material.

If your pillow still isn’t thick enough, you can find a company like GhostBed, who not only sells shredded memory foam pillows, but upon request, can send just the filling so you can revive an existing pillow.

Related Content:

• Best Down Pillows
• Best Pillows For Back Sleepers
• Best Pillows For Stomach Sleepers

Fluffing A Pillow In The Dryer

Read the tag on your pillow first and make sure it’s safe to put it in the dryer. Most down pillows won’t suggest tumble dry, and if they do, they’ll specify low heat setting. With a down pillow – and feather pillows too – if you dry the pillow on high heat, more often, the pillows tend to burn on the inside. Remove your pillowcase and pillow protector, place the pillow in your dryer and use the care instructions given by the manufacturer. You can find the pillow’s care label on it or further check on the brand’s website. To help knead and make your pillows fluffy, you need to add an agitator. A tennis ball inside of a tube sock works great for this, but if you don’t have dryer balls or a tennis ball around the house, you can also use shirts rolled into balls, stuffed animals, or anything else that’s about the same size and is safe to put in the dryer. The tennis ball pounds the pillow while it’s in the dryer, allowing the insides to break up and get airflow. Most of the time, you’re going to have to dry the pillow a few times in order to get good results. Note: Washing and drying are two different things. Just because you’re drying doesn’t mean you have to wash pillows and get them wet, you can just use the drier function when the pillow is dry. If you do opt to clean your pillow first, make sure it’s completely dried. A damp pillow will compress more and cause a moldy odor.

Fluffing Pillows by Giving them Some Fresh Air

Another less-known way to fluff your pillow that I’ve found surprisingly useful is to let nature help! Once you’ve either fluffed by hand or used a dryer, put the pillow outside in fresh air for a few hours (just make sure there isn’t rain in the forecast!). The sunnier the better. This method is good and safe for memory foam pillows and any other type of pillow.By letting airflow in and around your flat pillow, you’re creating separation between the materials inside of the pillow. This not only helps remove odors but also helps create a long-term re-fluff.

Be Honest if It’s Time For A New Pillow

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If you’ve had the same cheap pillow for a number of months, or even years, be open to the idea that your pillow can’t be saved. Even the best fluffing in the world can’t bring a dead pillow back to life. 

For those who bought a quality pillow over a decade ago, it’s also time to buy yourself two new pillows and prevent neck and shoulder pain due to low quality pillow situation.Remember, sleeping on the right pillow is a crucial part of having good sleep health. So, if you’re the type of person who keeps a pillow around for a long time, make sure you do your research and don’t just buy the first pillow you can find. Nowadays, pillows are made from a variety of materials such as shredded memory foam, feather pillows, down alternative pillows and more. They also come in different qualities, sizes, firmness levels, and more. Find a pillow you can love, whether a down alternative pillow After all, getting good sleep can mean the difference between a great day or a miserable day.

In Conclusion

My greatest tip is to wash your pillow before fluffing it. Remember that your pillow accumulates, hair oils, face oils, dust, dust mites and dead skin cells to name a few. These are detrimental to your skin health, your respiratory health and overall sleep quality. However, don’t wash the whole pillow too often to avoid damage on the fillers. Make use of pillow covers and pillow protectors, which are easy to wash and maintain your pillow’s quality. After washing your pillow, dry your pillow in the dryer. If drying doesn’t automatically fluff your pillow, then try the other mentioned methods. Happy fluffing!