Most pillow washing advice starts with the washing machine. That's the wrong place to start, because the right way to wash a pillow depends entirely on what's inside it. Machine wash a synthetic pillow and it comes out refreshed. Machine wash a memory foam pillow and it comes out ruined.
Quick answer: How you wash a pillow depends on the filling. Synthetic and down pillows are usually machine washable: wash two at a time at 40 degrees on a gentle cycle, then dry them thoroughly. Memory foam and latex must never go in the machine. Wash the removable cover instead and spot clean the core. Always follow the care label, and wash pillows every three to six months.
This guide covers the correct method for every fill type, how often to wash, and the point where washing stops being worth it and replacement makes more sense. The care label on your pillow overrides everything here: if the label disagrees, follow the label.
Contents
The Quick Answer, by Fill Type
Washing Synthetic and Down Pillows
Why Memory Foam Must Never Go in the Machine
The Quick Answer, by Fill Type
Find your pillow's filling in the table below, then read the full method further down. If you are not sure what is inside, the care label will usually tell you.
| Pillow fill | Machine washable? | How to clean it | Drying |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synthetic / hollowfibre | Yes | Wash two at a time at 40 degrees, gentle cycle, extra rinse | Tumble dry low until fully dry |
| Down and feather | Usually, check the label | Gentle cycle, mild detergent, extra rinse | Tumble dry low with dryer or tennis balls |
| Memory foam (solid or crumbed) | Never | Wash the cover, spot clean and air the core | Air dry only, out of direct sun |
| Latex | Never | Wash the cover, spot clean the core | Air dry only, out of direct sun |
Washing Synthetic and Down Pillows
These are the pillows the washing machine was made for. The method matters more than most people realise, because a badly dried pillow is worse than an unwashed one.
1. Wash two at a time. A single pillow throws the drum off balance. Two keeps the load even.
2. Use less detergent than you think. Half the normal dose. Detergent residue trapped in the fill attracts dirt and can irritate skin.
3. Run an extra rinse cycle. Fill holds soap stubbornly, and one rinse rarely clears it.
4. Dry completely, then dry again. A pillow that feels dry on the outside can still be damp in the middle, and a damp core is how mould and mildew start. For down, tumble dry on low with dryer balls or clean tennis balls to break up the clumps. It can take two or three cycles. That's normal.
The test: when you think it's dry, press your face into the centre of the pillow. Any hint of coolness or a damp smell means it needs more time.
Why Memory Foam Must Never Go in the Machine
Water plus agitation destroys memory foam
Foam absorbs water like a sponge and tears under the drum's movement. The damage is permanent, and moisture sealed deep in the core cannot fully evaporate.
Memory foam is an open structure of millions of tiny cells. Submerge it and those cells fill with water that is almost impossible to fully remove. Agitate it in a drum and the structure tears, because wet foam has very little tensile strength. The result is a pillow that is heavier, lumpy and structurally broken.
That open-cell structure is exactly what makes a good memory foam pillow comfortable and breathable, as the cutaway of the REM-Fit Snow Pillow below shows. The design assumption is that the core never gets wet. Cleaning happens at the cover level instead.
REM-Fit Snow Pillow
A cooling open-cell memory foam pillow, built to breathe, with a washable cover so the core stays untouched.
Shop the Snow PillowHow to clean a memory foam pillow properly
1. Wash the cover, not the core. Quality memory foam pillows have a removable, machine washable cover. Unzip it and wash at 40 with your normal bedding.
2. Spot clean the core if needed. A cloth dampened with mild soapy water, worked gently on the mark, then blotted dry with a towel. Never soak it.
3. Air it. A few hours somewhere ventilated but out of direct sunlight lets moisture and odour clear. Sunlight degrades foam, so a shaded windowsill beats the garden.
4. Vacuum it occasionally. The upholstery attachment on a low setting lifts dust and skin cells off the surface between cover washes.
This is why the removable cover matters more than it looks on a product page. On a pillow like the REM-Fit 500 Cool Gel Pillow, a Good Housekeeping Winner in 2026, the washable cover is effectively the entire hygiene system: it takes the sweat, oils and skin contact so the gel-infused core never has to.
REM-Fit 500 Cool Gel Pillow
Good Housekeeping Winner 2026. A gel-infused memory foam pillow with a removable, machine washable cover that keeps hygiene simple.
Shop the 500 Cool Gel Pillow✓ 100-night trial ✓ 15-year guarantee ✓ Free UK delivery ✓ 0% finance
How Often Should You Wash Pillows?
• Pillowcases: weekly, with your bedding.
• Pillow covers and machine washable pillows: every three to six months, more often in summer or if you sleep warm.
• Memory foam cores: nothing beyond airing and the occasional spot clean, if the cover is doing its job.
Warm sleepers should be honest with themselves here. A lot of what escapes the sheets overnight ends up in the pillow, so if you regularly wake up warm, a breathable pillow design and a more frequent cover wash do more for hygiene than any deep clean. If overheating is the underlying problem, it is worth reading about the benefits of keeping cool while you sleep, because a cooler night means a drier pillow in the first place.
Clean bedding is not only about comfort. The Sleep Foundation notes that regular washing helps control the sweat, skin cells and allergens that build up in bedding over time, which is one more reason to keep to a schedule. You can see how much sleep quality matters to people across the country in our UK Sleep Statistics 2026.
When Washing Won't Save It
A wash refreshes a pillow. It doesn't restore one that has structurally failed. Replace rather than wash if:
• It folds and stays folded. Fold the pillow in half and let go. If it doesn't spring back, the fill has collapsed and no amount of washing brings support back.
• It has permanent yellow staining through the fill. Surface marks wash out. Deep discolouration means years of absorbed moisture that a cycle can't reach.
• You wake with neck ache that eases through the day. That pattern usually points at the pillow's support, not your neck.
• It smells within days of washing. Odour that returns fast means the source is deep in the fill.
As a rule of thumb, most pillows need replacing every one to two years, sooner than people expect. Our guide on how often to replace a pillow covers the timings by fill type in more detail.
If you're replacing, match the pillow to how you sleep rather than buying the same one again out of habit. The REM-Fit pillow range covers solid memory foam, adjustable crumbed foam and cooling designs, all built around washable covers so the next one is easier to keep clean than the last.
Explore the REM-Fit pillow range
Your Pillow Washing Questions Answered
Can you wash memory foam pillows in the washing machine?
No. Water saturates the foam's open-cell structure and the drum's agitation tears it. Wash the removable cover instead, and spot clean and air the core.
Can you tumble dry pillows?
Synthetic and down pillows, yes, on low heat until completely dry. Memory foam and latex, never. Heat degrades foam, so cores should only ever be air dried.
What temperature should you wash pillows at?
40 degrees suits most synthetic pillows and pillow covers, and it's the sensible default. Some labels permit 60 degrees, which is more effective against dust mites. Allergy UK recommends washing bedding at 60 degrees to kill house dust mites, but only wash at that temperature if the pillow's label explicitly allows it.
How many pillows should I wash at once?
Two. A single pillow sits on one side of the drum and unbalances the spin, which strains the machine and leaves the pillow poorly rinsed. A balanced pair washes and rinses far more evenly.
How do you keep pillows cleaner for longer?
Layer the defences. A pillowcase washed weekly, a washable pillow cover or protector beneath it, and a bedroom routine that keeps allergens down. This guide to minimising allergens in your bedroom covers the wider setup, our dust mite guide explains why it is worth the effort, and if you are washing the pillows you may as well tackle the duvet at the same time.
The short version
Know your fill, trust the label, and never let memory foam near the machine. If your current pillow has failed the fold test, the REM-Fit pillow range is built with removable washable covers, so keeping the next one clean takes minutes, not a rescue operation.
