How Often Should You Replace a New Pillow? (Update in 2019)

Facing problem sleeping on your usual pillow at night? Your pillow isn’t providing enough support anymore? Then it is high time you replace your pillow with a new one.

Pillows are one of the essential bedroom accessories we use on a regular basis. So taking a good care of these are a must. And also replace them within the given time can ensure our good health.

Why should you replace your pillow?

Pillow is one of the things our bare skin comes in contact most often. At night our skin sheds old dead and sweats which gets absorbed by our pillow. These incidents degrade our pillows even faster than the expiration date. The use pattern is also an important factor though.

Nothing can last forever. This being said pillows have their expiration date as well depending on their materials. If you use them even after the expiration date then there will be lumps in the pillow. This will make the pillow uneven and cause trouble for you to sleep on this. It can cause neck and back pain. Using the pillow so long after expiration can make it so hard that it fails to serve its purpose as a support.

These incidents can infect the pillow with various kind of fungus and dust mites. Which can trigger allergy issues and much other skin problem. Infection in pillows can get so worst that it can result in, lungs cancer and asthma.  So neglecting the quality of your pillow can make you suffer to a greater scale.

Considering these facts, you should change your pillows right after the expiration period. Don’t forget about the pillowcase as well. After all, what’s the point of having a pillow which can’t provide you enough comfort and make you punch it every night to make it usable?

Consider these things before changing your pillow

Check pillow materials

The lifespan of your pillow mostly depends on its materials and use pattern.Some commonly used pillow materials are the feather, synthetic, foam, down, latex etc. Each has their own different properties. Each material has its own expire date and deformation pattern. So check for these signs and take the right decision.

• Foam: Foam pillows can remain usable up to 3 years depending on the use though and their brands. But it tends to get harder with time. So to check, try to fold your pillow in half. If it springs back to its former form, then your pillow is still good to use. But if it’s become so hard that it can’t retain its previous shape, then maybe you should consider buying a new one.

• Synthetic:  Synthetic pillows can last for 18-24 months.

  One of the easiest sign of expiration for this type of pillow is the formation of lumps. You will feel these lumps below your head at night. So watch for lumps as an indication. A good synthetic pillow will retain its shape after bending. If not, then your pillow isn’t worth using any more.

• Down and Feather: This type of pillows can last up to 2 years.

  Feather pillows are fluffy in nature. So wash your pillow and see if it fluff up again. If no then maybe it has started degrading already. Try to squeeze out the air from the pillow and bend it in half. If it doesn’t go back to its shape after you let go, then consider getting yourself a new one.

Dust mites

Dust mites are one kind of micro bugs. They feed on dead skin cells and grow in the warm environment. And pillows are the ideal habitat for them. Longtime contact with dust mites can result in allergy and asthma.

If you are having allergy problems in the areas you come in contact with your pillow, then your pillow may have become a sweet home of the dust mites.

Washing your pillow and pillowcase once in every week with hot water can keep it free from dust mites. Using a dust-proof pillowcase or choosing wool as your material can help in preventing dust mites as well.

Fungal spore

Your pillow is the heaven for millions of fungal spores. Aspergillus fumigatus is the most common species among them. These cause fungal infection which can lead to respiratory problems, lungs cancer, and asthma in adults.

Synthetic pillows are mostly prone to fungal spores. So replace your synthetic pillow with a woolen one.

Flame retardant chemicals

Some Flame retardant chemicals are also used time to time on the pillow. Poly-brominated diphenyl ethers are one of them which can cause cancer. It can also harm pregnant women and fetus. Pregnant women can also go for the pregnancy pillow. So try to be mindful of this type of chemicals.

How often should you replace pillow

Replace the pillows depends on materials, and how well you maintain them. Normally a synthetic pillow can be used for 18 -24 months, feathered one can last from 18 to 36 month, latex 3-4 years, down up to 2-3 years and foam up to 3-5 years.

You can change them before if you feel less comfortable. Of course, you have to keep them washed and hygienic throughout the whole using period. And take care of the pillowcase as well.

Final thoughts

Maintaining your daily hygiene is a crucial part of our daily life. And keeping our pillow as clean as possible is a big step in this process.

Check the tag of your pillow. You will get all kind of information regarding your pillow there. Follow the mentioned rule in case of washing the pillow and pillowcase. This will lengthen the lifespan of your pillow and keep it more clean and hygienic. Never use any pillow past its expiration date. Change it as soon as you feel like the pillow is losing its quality.

Keeping your pillow frequently clean will keep you safe from skin diseases, lungs cancer, asthma and many more. So why not do this small task to keep ourselves healthy?