‘Whiten’ stained pillows with 1 natural ingredient that is just as ‘powerful’ as detergent

London: Pillows can get pretty grimy, even with pillowcases on. I noticed my pillow had some serious yellow stains and thought about tossing it. But then I remembered a cleaning tip I saw on a Mrs. Hinch Facebook page.

Instead of reaching for the usual suspects like vinegar or bleach, they suggested using soda crystals. Apparently, these little guys are just as effective as detergent for whitening and stain removal.

Some folks recommend soaking the pillows in a soda crystal solution before washing, but I decided to try adding them straight to the washing machine. I measured out half a cup, which is what they say to use for tackling stains.

So, I tossed the soda crystals in with my regular laundry detergent and added the stained pillow. I also threw in some other white laundry because cleaning enthusiasts claim this helps keep the pillow’s shape during the wash.

I set the washing machine to a full cycle at 40 degrees, which takes about 45 minutes. When the cycle finished, I pulled out the pillow and couldn’t believe my eyes. It looked like a completely different pillow!

The soda crystals worked wonders, removing stains and brightening the pillow. Plus, it softened up nicely without needing to pre-soak or use bleach.

While there are plenty of stain removers out there, soda crystals are way cheaper, and I already had some in my cleaning stash. I picked up a 1kg bag of Dri-Pak Soda Crystals for just £2.50 at B&Q.

You can grab any brand of soda crystals, and they’ll all do the trick. For instance, a 500g bag of Elbow Grease Soda Crystals is currently about £4.99 on Amazon.

It was a lovely sunny day, so I took the chance to dry the pillow outside on an airer. Sunlight is great for whitening laundry since the UV rays act like a natural bleach.

If you can’t dry your pillow outside because of space or weather, just leave it by a window in a well-ventilated room. A dehumidifier can also help if you have one.