Another Way To Get Better Sleep: Pillows

I’m always looking for ways to get better sleep. I’ve been an insomniac for years so I try every tip I find.

Today’s tip is about your sleep environment, specifically, about your pillows.

I’ve always used cotton slipcovers on my pillows. That goes on first, then the pillow case.(If you’re not doing this, you should.)

The pillow slipcover can be laundered with bleach to make sure they’re clean and germ-free. (Your guests will appreciate this.)

However, I had never washed pillows before. (I’m talking about fiber-filled pillows, not down.) I just replace the pillows after a certain period of time.

Recently, I read that many pillows are labeled washable. Who knew? I never read the label before. I checked, and most of the pillows in my linen closet are washable.

How To Wash Washable Pillows

To make enough to wash 2 pillows, you’ll need these ingredients:

• Liquid laundry detergent
• 1/2 cup Washing Soda (Arm & Hammer Washing Soda is only $4.12 on Amazon. Many organic and back to nature fans make their own laundry detergent using washing soda.)
• 5 drops of mint or lavender essential oil (a 50 ml bottle of Lavender is only $7.39 on Amazon and will go a long way. Lavender is recommended for its calming effect.)

Directions

1. Add enough detergent for a full load of clothes.
2. Set your washing machine to warm or hot.
3. Add the washing soda as the water fills then the lavender oil. (Most newer models of washer have lids that lock. If yours does, mix the washing soda and essential oil into 2 quarts of warm water and pour that into your washer first.
4. Put 2 pillows in the machine.
5. Select Gentle Cycle and start the machine.
6. When the wash cycle finishes, place the pillows into the dryer on low heat for a full cycle. (I put 2 tennis balls in a pair of old white socks and tie each closed. The balls bouncing around fluff the pillows.

Takeaway Truth

I hope this gives you a fresh clean set of pillows that will help you get better sleep too.