If your favorite pillow is filled with old stuffing, it’s still a useful item.
However, you have to rid it of this clutter if you want it to continue to make your family’s sleeping needs. There are several ways you can dispose of old pillows.
So, how do you dispose of old pillows? Start with removing all the old stuffing from the pillow.
Then, either wash the pillow or throw it in the dryer on the hottest setting possible.
Make sure it is completely dry before wrapping it in a plastic bag and storing it in the garage or attic until you are ready to use it or donate it to charity.
When Should You Throw Away Your Pillows?
Contents
You may be able to reuse your old pillows for decoration or for packing.
According to scientists, you should replace your pillows on a regular basis.
However, if it is a high-quality memory-foam pillow, like MyPillow or Eco Bamboo SoftTouch, it is almost certain that someone could reuse it.
Pillows normally go bad when it has been exposed to dirt or pests, such as bugs, moths or termites.
Throwing away your pillow isn’t an easy task; however, it must be done if you would not want your family to be suffocated by the old stuffing.
Most individuals discard their pillows through a garbage truck or trashcan.
Because you spend so much of your day touching your pillow, it is filled with dust and other debris like mold spores and bacteria that can make you sick.
And since pillows are constructed of fluffy fibers, they may hold allergens, such as dust mites, which could cause an allergic reaction if you have asthma or eczema.
You should dispose of your pillow if it is more than five years old.
However, if you believe you will be using your pillow within the next five years, you can wash your pillow and bring it back to life.
On the other side, some specialists recommend that you should replace your pillows every six months for optimal results.
How to Dispose of Old Pillows
Donate It to a Textile Recycling Company
Giving your old pillows to a textile recycling firm is an ingenious way to dispose of your old stuff.
A recycling firm can put your old pillow to good use by reusing it or selling it to charities or rehabbing companies.
Give It to Someone in Need
Instead of throwing old pillows in the trash, donate them to homeless people or homeless shelters in your area.
One old pillow can completely change a homeless person’s life by providing adequate comfort.
Donate It to a Thrift Store
You can take your old pillows to thrift stores and earn some valuable points that can be used for shopping.
However, you must ensure that the old pillows are in good condition because some thrifty shoppers will not buy stained or torn pillows.
If your pillow is too dirty, lumpy, or torn to give away or sell, you can use the following techniques to clean and launder your pillow.
Donate It to a Charity
Donating your old pillows to a charity will allow you to recover tax advantages.
The majority of local organizations and charities will accept your old stuff and use them for charitable purposes.
When donating old pillows to a charitable institution, you must ensure that the charity is registered in your area.
Donate It to a Homeless Shelter in Your Area
You may ask friends and family members whether they can use your old stuff or you can donate them to homeless people in your area or homeless shelters.
Some homeless shelters and community centers may not accept items that are not clean or in usable condition.
Donate It to a Shelter for Animals
If you want to get rid of your used pillows in a green way, you can donate your old pillows to animal shelters.
Pet shelters are always in need of new bedding for animals as animals may be ill or injured and may need comfortable and soft bedding to rest on.
Before dropping off your used pillows, make sure that the animal shelter in your area will accept used items.
How to Reuse Your Pillows
Unused pillows can be repurposed into decorative throw pillows to give your house a different look.
Old pillows can also be restuffed with fiberfill or cotton to make them new again.
However, if you have an old and lumpy pillow or a pillow with moldy stuffing, you may opt to get rid of it by tossing it in the garbage or donating it to a charity center.
If you want to donate an old pillow to a charity center, you must ensure that the charity is registered in your area.
The pillow filling may even serve other useful purposes.
This is not only an excellent idea, but a great way to reuse your old pillows.
This creative idea will also allow you to keep reusing the pillow covers too; if your style changes later on.
How to Recycle Pillowcases
If you are ecologically conscious, you should strive to get rid of your pillow covers.
Instead of throwing them into the garbage or donating them to charity centers, you can use the following techniques to reuse them.
Turn Them into Decorative Pillows One way you can get rid of your old pillowcases is by transforming them into decorative throw pillows.
You can decorate your couch or outdoor seating arrangement with pillows that have the same fabric as your pillowcases.
Keep in mind, however, that you already used the fabric to cover an old pillow, which means that it will not have a lining.
You could always donate your pillowcases to charity centers.
A polyester pillow cannot be recycled because polyester cannot be broken down easily. Most plastics are thermal plastics and can’t be broken down easily unless they are chemically altered or heat treated.
Polyester cannot be destroyed by a compost plant since it retains too much moisture for composting materials.
Furthermore, since you cannot recycle the pillow itself you have to dispose of it by either throwing it in the garbage or giving it to a charity center.
Also See: How to Dispose of Hair Dyes Safely
Conclusion
In conclusion, pillows are soft and comfortable items that people use to rest their heads on while sleeping or relaxing.
However, they eventually become old and filled with old dust that can be dangerous to human health.
You can dispose of old pillows in different ways depending on your preference and the type of pillow you have.
Start by emptying out the old stuffing or feathers from the pillow before disposing of it in one of the provided ways to avoid accidental suffocation or choking.
Once the pillow is completely dry, wrap it in a plastic bag and store in the storeroom to avoid infestation of dust mites and bugs which are usually attracted to moisture and dust.
Alternatively, you might try to sew new stuffing or feathers into the old pillow using new material or old pillows you have stored away in a closet or attic.
Take into consideration all of your options when it comes to disposing of old pillows in order to protect the environment from chemicals treated with fire retardants or pests that tells you how to dispose.
