Why do pillows turn yellow? And how to stop it

Pillows turn yellow mainly because of sweat. Everyone sweats a little at night, and moisture from sweat, along with natural skin oils, carries through the pillowcase into the pillow. As it dries, it leaves yellow marks that build up over months.

The five usual causes

• Sweat. The main cause. Warm sleepers see stains sooner.
• Skin oils and face products. Moisturiser, night cream and natural oils soak through cotton.
• Wet hair. Going to bed with damp hair lets water carry everything above into the fill.
• Drool. Common and harmless, but it marks.
• Damp after washing. A pillow that is not dried all the way through can discolour and smell.

Is a yellow pillow a problem?

A little yellowing is cosmetic. Heavy staining, a sour smell or lumps that do not shake out mean the fill has absorbed a lot over time, and it is usually better to replace the pillow than to keep washing it. See our guide on how often to replace a pillow.

How to wash yellow stains out

1. Check the care label first. Most fibre and many down pillows are machine washable. Memory foam usually is not.
2. Wash two pillows at once to balance the drum, or add a towel.
3. Use a small amount of mild detergent and a warm cycle within the label limit. Too much detergent leaves residue that holds dirt.
4. Run an extra rinse.
5. Dry on low heat with two or three dryer balls until the pillow is dry all the way through, which can take more than one cycle. Squeeze the centre to check.

Stubborn stains on a washable pillow can be pre-treated with an oxygen-based stain remover diluted per its instructions. Avoid chlorine bleach on down and feather, which damages the fill.

How to keep a pillow white

• Use a pillow protector under the pillowcase. It stops most sweat and oil before it reaches the pillow, and it is much easier to wash than the pillow.
• Change pillowcases once a week, more often in summer.
• Wash the protector every few weeks and the pillow two to three times a year.
• Let products sink in and dry your hair before bed.
• Air pillows by an open window when you change the bed.

Why hotel pillows stay white

Hotels put every pillow in a protector, change cases and protectors after each guest, wash at high volume and replace pillows on a schedule. Copy the protector and the weekly change and most of the yellowing never happens.