We all love the feeling of climbing into a freshly made bed, but have you ever gone to change your sheets and noticed yellow stains on your pillows?
Even the most thorough cleaners among us will have seen the unavoidable stains, and it can leave us feeling as though our nice and clean sheets aren’t actually that fresh at all – especially when we know what’s lurking beneath the pillowcase.
But where do these stains come from, and how can we get rid of them?
The cleaning experts at Lifehacker have all the answers, and while it might sound totally gross, you’re going to want to hear them out if you want to keep your pillows looking and feeling fresh.
Why do pillows turn yellow?
The gurus at Lifehacker state that the most common reason for yellowing pillows is sweat.
Whether we like to admit it or not, we all sweat, and when that moisture seeps through a pillowcase and onto the pillow beneath, it can cause staining.
This problem is more prevalent the more someone sweats, and can cause bigger issues during those uncomfortable summer nights when you just can’t seem to cool down.
But sweat isn’t the only moisture you have to look out for, as yellowing can also be caused by wet or greasy hair.
Lifehacker’s experts state: “In addition to sweat, your hair may be the culprit: Specifically if it’s particularly oily, or you often go to bed with wet or damp hair.
“Some types of makeup and skincare products can also be behind the yellow stains. It could also be drool. Putting a waterproof pillow protector on before your pillowcase can help prevent a lot of the discolouration.”
How to remove yellow stains
Experts claim you’ll want to act fast to remove stains from your pillows, as the longer they sit there, the harder they’ll be to remove when you do try to clean them.
They also state you should be washing your pillows at least twice a year regardless of staining, which should help to keep the stains at bay for at least a little while.
But if you want to clean spot stains from your pillows in a pinch, there is a little-known hack you can use to quickly get to work on removing any yellowing – with a mixture of baking soda and water.
Lifehacker gurus said: You can start off by spot treating the stains with either a store-bought stain removal spray or cream or with a paste made out of a mixture of baking soda and water.”
You can also keep stains at bay for longer with the help of a waterproof pillow protector, which will stop your sweat and drool from making it onto your pillows in the first place.
Experts added: “Putting a waterproof pillow protector on before your pillowcase can help prevent a lot of the discoloration.”