Tired of dealing with lumpy pillows night after night?
Looking for an eco-friendly way to fix the problem without buying a new pillow?
Want to know how to fix a lumpy pillow? You’ve come to the right place!
These days, like many of you, I only use organic pillows made in the USA at home. But what most people don't know is that before I turned my love of all things eco into a career, I was a traveling IT consultant.
I worked for a small family operation with a limited budget. So I’ve stayed in many cheap motels… with cheap lumpy pillows.
In this article, I’ll give you the complete rundown of the techniques I used to get a good night’s sleep on the road.
Read on and discover how to turn your lumpy pillows into a fluffy dream nest…all while doing your part for the planet!
Contents
The following tips apply to softer loose-filled pillows (down, feathers, shredded latex/foam, etc.), not firm pillows made from a single piece of foam/latex/etc.
You can fix most lumpy issues with non-foam pillows with a spot of manual labor.
Simply lay the pillow flat and give it a good old-fashioned pounding. Not only will this help to fix the lumps, but will also give your muscles a workout!
If the lumps need more than your hands to break them down, you can place a couple of tennis balls in a sock and give the pillow a good beating.
This can be incredibly therapeutic after a stressful day at work…or with the kids! 😁
A rolling pin is also quite efficient at breaking up pillow fill.
If the manual fluffing and tennis balls aren’t sufficient, try putting the pillow into your dryer.
The heat and the tumbling action should have the lumps knocked back into shape in no time.
Boost the tumbling effect by adding the tennis ball trick mentioned above.
There is a dollar cost and an environmental cost with using your dryer. So this tip is more of a last resort. Try all the free methods you can first.
Also, to avoid doing more harm than good, don’t leave the pillow in for too long, and don’t have the heat set too high.
If the affected pillow is machine washable (check the care label), the combination of warm water and the rotating washing motion should help knock out some, if not all, of the lumps.
Place the pillow in direct sunlight on a warm sunny day.
The heat from the sun will help soften up the lumps and make it easier for you to fluff manually.
Being in the sun’s UV rays will also have the added benefit of disinfecting and deodorizing your pillow.
You can also do a few simple things to prolong the life of your pillow and prevent lumps from appearing for as long as possible.
Keeping your pillow dry is essential for preventing lumps. This is because a pillow will quickly become misshapen if the filling gets damp and then dries out in a different shape.
Clean up any spills immediately and place the pillow in a dryer or outside in the sun ASAP.
Pillowcases help keep your pillow dry and protected from oils from your skin and face.
However, if you don’t clean and replace it once in a while, the oil and moisture will eventually find their way into your pillow. Shortening its lifespan and causing uncomfortable lumps.
Wash your pillowcase (and removable outer cover if your pillow has one) every time you strip and wash your bedding (once a week is recommended in most circumstances).
The care instructions provided by the manufacturer are there for a reason.
To prolong the life of your pillow, you should always follow them as closely as possible.
To help keep your pillow fill evenly distributed, it’s a good idea to rotate and fluff it regularly.
A good habit to get into is to fluff your pillow every morning as you make the bed, so it’s fully lofted when you get in at night.
This makes for a better sleeping surface on which to lay your head.
If you’ve had no joy fixing your lumpy pillow, you might be wondering how to dispose of it.
Don’t just toss it in the trash. It could end up rotting in landfill for many years.
Here are a few sustainable disposable and repurposing ideas:
Most filled pillows will eventually get a little lumpy, especially if used and washed often (and not dried properly).
The softer the pillow, the more susceptible it is to become lumpy.
If you want to avoid lumpy pillows altogether, consider a firm option made from a single piece of CertiPUR-US certified foam or Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) certified latex.
Lumping latex and foam pillows can’t be fixed, so prevention is key.
Follow the manufacturer’s care instructions, and you should have no issues with lumps in your latex or foam pillow for many years.
No. Never use fabric softener when washing pillows.
The softening residue left behind by fabric softener can cause the pillow filling to stick together and cause more lumping.
Soft pillows (down, shredded memory foam, feather pillows, etc.) usually need to be replaced sooner than firm pillows (single pieces of latex or foam, for example).
Try to keep your pillow for as long as possible, but also use some common sense. When you start feeling stiff and sore in the morning, it might be time for a new pillow.
The average American will spend 36 years in bed over their lifetime, so it’s important to do everything possible to make that time comfortable and restful.
By taking care of your pillows and keeping them clean (and free from pillow clumps), you’ll be on the road to better sleep from the moment your head hits the pillow at night.
When your pillow goes lumpy, it doesn’t always mean it’s time to toss it.
Only replacing items when absolutely necessary is one of the cornerstones of sustainability.
Before seeking a replacement, try a few (or all) of the tips mentioned in this article and teach yourself how to fix a lumpy pillow.
However, if your lumpy pillow is beyond fixing, it’s time to get a new one. A faulty, unsupportive pillow can lead to poor sleep quality and a stiff neck.
If you find yourself in the market for a new pillow, ensure you get a pillow made from natural materials like these (my current favorite pillow material is kapok fabric).
What’s your pillow stuffing of choice? Do you prefer a firm memory foam pillow? Do you have experience with pillow lumps? How do you fix lumpy pillows? Drop me a line and let me know.
