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22nd April 2024
10:05am BST
Night after night, a build-up of sweat, drool, wet hair, skincare products, and so on, can all contribute to the yellowing of pillows, bedding, and mattresses, particularly if bed wetting is involved.
Besides being unsightly, these stubborn yellow stains can also leave family members exposed to a build-up of bacteria and allergens, which can affect the quality of sleep and health.
For some, seeing these yellow pillows and bedding may be enough for them to discard and buy brand-new bedclothes — a replacement that can be quite expensive.
Others may think that these stains are a normal consequence of sleeping on white mattresses, pillows, and bedclothes.
However, this is not the case.
“Yellow stains are a burden for many homeowners as they’re difficult to remove and can make a bed unhygienic to sleep on," Rebecca Swain, mattress expert at Winstons Beds says.
"Not cleaning the stains can lead to bacteria growth and even cases of mould if they’re not given a deep clean."
Thankfully, there are many budget-friendly ways to revive your bedding and bring it back to its former glory, many of which can be done using common household products.
The acidity in white vinegar can help get rid of yellow stains from bedding and mattresses.
The next time you are putting your duvet covers and pillowcases into the wash, simple add three cups of white vinegar.
This condiment will leave your bedding fresh and stain-free.
Soaking your bedclothes overnight in cleaning products can give them the best chance of coming out stain-free.
Make sure to give them a wash in hot, soapy water beforehand!
Many do not realise that pillows would benefit hugely from being washed every three weeks.
If consistent, it can prevent the accumulation of bacteria and allergens, therefore avoiding those unsightly yellow stains from developing.
Pillowcases should be washed every week or two to make them more hygienic to sleep on.
Another stain hack that can be achieved at no extreme cost.
By squeezing two limes before a deep wash, the acidic elements can help to bleach any yellow stains.
Scrub the limes onto yellow-stained bedding and pillows — gently, so it doesn’t ruin them.
Leave them to rest for 30 minutes then wipe it down.
A 'boil wash' is a wash that is set at 90º degrees.
Washing at this temperature can help to remove any bacteria caused by sweat and will freshen the bedding's scent and appearance.
The holy grail of cleaning.
Hydrogen Peroxide can work as an extremely effective cleaner when it comes to yellow stains.
Using half a cup of Hydrogen Peroxide mixed with water, it can help to restore the bedding to its original colour.
Sprinkle it with baking soda afterwards to lift the tougher stains.
Yellow-stained mattresses are normally the hardest to bring back to white.
When attempting to restore mattresses, avoid using products like bleach as it can make the stains worse.
Instead, use a mixture of washing up liquid, hot water, and baking soda and scrub the stains with a microfibre cloth.
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