Cleaning fans’ simple drying method removes ‘yellow’ stains from ‘old’ pillows

There’s nothing worse than removing a pillowcase to find a yellow, stained pillow underneath. While this looks unpleasant, it is normal for pillows to turn yellow over time due to sweat and moisture. However, there are ways homeowners can prevent premature yellowing. Fans of cleaning sensation Mrs Hinch , whose full name is Sophie Hinchliffe, have shared their simple solution for washing stained pillows. Mrs Hinch is a cleaning and lifestyle influencer with more than 4.7 million followers on Instagram . Recently, fans of hers have taken to social media to share their own hacks for solving common household cleaning queries. Pillows turn yellow for many reasons but the main reason is a buildup of moisture (Image: Getty) On one such group, Sophia Beck posted: ‘Conundrum: to wash old yellow stained feather pillows at home or at laundromat/dry clean or chuck ’em?’ The post, which was featured on a Facebook group called Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips, received more than 60 suggestions from fellow cleaning enthusiasts. The most suggested solution was to wash them at home but ensure they are dried thoroughly in the tumble dry. Jacqui Stephenson said: ‘If you take them to the laundromat/laundrette and get a service wash they do come out well! ‘If they are feather pillows they take a lot more work. The feathers retain the water. ‘They need a lot of dry time, which is why launderettes say leave them overnight. I’ve washed a lot of feather pillows and they do come up like new after being washed.’ Denise Lee commented: ‘I wash mine in the machine. Bio washing powder, a bit of ace bleach and fabric conditioner. Tumble dry, shake, then [they’re] perfect.’ Luckily, there are ways homeowners can prevent premature yellowing on pillows (Image: Getty) Julie Cook wrote: ‘I wash mine often. After all, ducks get wet every day! The trick is to tumble dry them thoroughly – it takes a long time but [they] come out well.’ Liz Yates replied: ‘I still have two feather pillows from 39 years ago which are stain-free and are washed regularly in my home machine, then tumble dried and left on the clothes horse to air. ‘I have a phobia about stained bedding so they’ve been washed dozens of times.’ Sandy Llewellyn agreed and said: ‘Air dry in the sun. Tumble until completely dry or recycle.’ Gail Clark posted: ‘You can wash them, but they do need to be tumble dried, with a drying ball added.’ Natalia Nabi agreed: ‘I wash my feather/down pillows at 40C, then tumble dry and [put them in the] airing cupboard unless it’s sunny outside.’ Other suggestions from Mrs Hinch fans included using shaving foam to remove yellow stains or simply replacing the pillows. Anne Jones said: ‘Try shaving foam first. Rub in, leave for an hour then wipe off with a damp cloth.’ Rachel Gough replied: ‘Buy new if you can afford to or wait for a sale. I’m waiting for a sale.’ Caroline Hicks suggested: ‘Give them to your local animal shelter and treat yourself to some new ones.’