Pillows should be cleaned at least once every three to six months at a minimum. However, the time should increase when stains appear.

For the most part, pillows turn yellow because of sweat and oils seeping through your linens to the pillow itself, but cosmetics, hair products, water (from damp hair) and drool can also cause yellow stains on pillows.

Nevertheless, while it may be unavoidable that pillows get stained given their direct contact with your body, it can feel frustrating when their snowy white appearance changes, sometimes within a matter of weeks.

While most pillows are perfectly fine to go in the washing machine, this is not the case for all pillows.

Joan Clark, a cleaning expert at Tips Bulletin, shared a solution that uses baking soda and white vinegar to remove stains, which is also a great way to remove stains from mattresses.

She suggested applying a small amount of baking soda to the stain and using an old toothbrush to rub in vinegar. 

Joan said: “Use the soaked vinegar brush to scrub the baking soda. Wipe away the dirty residue with a damp cloth.

“You can also add the vinegar to a bottle sprayer and spray vinegar on clothes and the baking soda. Let the chemicals fizz a bit and scrub with the toothbrush. 

“Baking soda and vinegar are a dynamite combination that eliminates all kinds of stains on a multitude of surfaces.”

Martin Seeley, CEO and sleep expert at MattressNextDay also recommends using white vinegar and baking soda to remove yellow pillow stains. He said: “In between cycles, it is important to keep them fresh using white vinegar or baking soda, two great affordable cleaning products.”

The expert explained that the acidity in vinegar acts as a “superb deterrent against dust mites” as well as removing stains.

Martin added: “Distilled white vinegar is best and the solution should be sprayed, rather than poured, over the whole pillow.”

While you’ll still have to wash pillows occasionally to keep them disinfected and stain-free, there are specific measures to take to ensure that they are fresh in between washing.

Households should make sure they encase their pillows in a pillow protector as well as pillowcases. 

When it’s time to change the pillowcase, it’s worth spraying the pillow surface with linen spray to keep it smelling fresh.

This is also a great time to consider adding essential oils to the spray to promote good sleep, such as lavender and cedarwood scents.