May 27, 2007
Can I Wash My Memory Foam Pillow?
In a word, “no.” Well actually you can wash it, but then you won't want to use it again. You see, memory foam is made of thousands of tiny polyurethane bubbles all stuck together, and these little bubbles have an open cell structure. That means that the walls of each bubble are full of holes, like a wall in a house with windows and doors.
So when water, or any liquid, gets on a memory foam pillow, it soaks right into all the thousands of little holes in the cell walls. Each cell wall allows water to pass into its cell. The cells fill up, but because of the way water works (a thing called surface tension), the water kind of sticks inside each little cell. It’s nearly impossible to dry. The water will stay inside the cells for days, weeks maybe.
By the time your pillow dries out, stuff will have started to grow inside, and then you won’t want to sleep on it any more. Even if there was no problem with drying a memory foam pillow, they are impractical to wash. A washing machine and dryer tear up memory foam.
I washed a 24” x 24” x 2” sample of memory foam, just as an experiment, and it was a mess. Most of it came through in tact, but a bunch of it tore into dozens of small pieces. The foam did not fare any better in the dryer; it tore into many pieces there as well. 
If you have a small spill on your memory foam pillow, try spot cleaning. But to guard your pillow from spills and ensure that it will last for many years, a better solution is to be proactive and get a waterproof memory foam pillow protector.
Filed under Blog, Memory Foam, Pillows by admin
Comments on Can I Wash My Memory Foam Pillow? »
The Beauty of a Body Pillow for the Pregnant Woman @ 12:43 am
[…] closed cell memory foam is simply the most versatile, comfortable, and durable pillow material in the world. The thousands of tiny memory foam cells cushion joints relieve pressure by […]
Art Harmon @ 12:25 pm
am disappointed to learn that my memory foam pillow is unwashable. This is a huge limitation and means it a very expensive disposable pillow. Natural body oils have absorbed into it and now its uncleanable? Is there any non water based way to get this clean? Perhaps a solvent based cleaning system such as dry cleaning? I'll wait for the answer before throwing away this pillow and replacing it with a convenetional one. Also I was on my way to buy a mattress topper until I read this. The idea of a waterproof protector pretty much sounds like sleeping on a unbreathable sheet of plastic. Sorry for the candor here but this seems an overcomable objection.
Bev @ 11:48 am
I agree. I read (but haven't tried it yet) that you can wash it outside by hand with a hose and some light soap with no oil, or perhaps even vinegar and baking soda, then let it air dry for a couple days. Good luck!
Su @ 9:15 am
I have now tried to wash my pillow in a front-loading washing machine. It had absorbed natural oils. i have a front-loading washer. I began washing it on delicate and put the majority of the laundry detergent (all small and mighty) directly on the most soiled part of the pillow. A few minutes into the cycle, I took it out and THOROUGHLY rinsed it with warm water via a long shower hose in the bathtub. Then came the hard part — trying to get all the water out of it. I went through no less than 10 bath towels (after trying to get out all the water I could in the bathtub).
I tried to dry it for a few moments (less than a minute). I would not try to dry it for any longer because the pillow will tear apart. What I would do to attempt to dry it is roll it in towels, like you would a sweater, and then wrap it in dry towels and just sit on it to try and compress out all of the water. Right now, my pillow is air-drying the rest of the way. I think it will be okay.
In all total, it took me well over an hour and a half to try to wash it, but it was time well-spent if I don't have to buy another pillow.
I hope that helps, Art!