How to Dispose of Old Pillows

Pillows are essential to comfortable and pleasant sleep. The older they get, however, the more they lose their volume, becoming uncomfortable.

If you’re thinking about buying a new set of pillows but aren’t quite sure how you can go about getting rid of your old pillows, this post is for you.

3 Ways to Dispose of Old Pillows

If you’ve made up your mind that you don’t want the old pillows in your house anymore, here are a few ways you can dispose of them:

Donate Them

One of the best ways to ensure that your old pillows don’t go to complete waste is to donate them.

Sometimes, you want to dispose of a pillow even if it’s still in good shape. If that’s the case, you can try to donate your pillows to your local homeless people shelter.

Bear in mind, though, that some shelters refuse to take in old pillows for hygienic reasons. So, before you go, make sure they’re clean and reusable.

If your pillows have turned so bad that they’re no longer reusable for us, humans, you can donate them to an animal shelter. Animal shelters use pillows as beds for their animals, so they’ll most probably welcome your donation.

Recycle Them

To be clear, you won’t be the one doing the recycling. You’ll just drop your old pillows off at a textile recycling facility and they’ll take it from there.

You might be thinking that since pillows can be recycled, you can just drop them at a recycle bin. However, not all recycling facilities agree to recycle textiles like pillows and mattresses.

Pillows are hard to recycle for reasons related to some of their harmful components that can harm the environment. That’s why your chosen facility must be prepared for the pillow recycling process.

One of the facilities that welcome recycling pillows is the American Textile Recycling Service. You’ll find plenty of their branches and recycle bins around the country.

Throw Them in a Compost Bin or a Trash Bin

This should be your very last option if you really need those pillows gone and you can’t find another way to get rid of them.

You should first try throwing them in a compost bin. You do this by removing the pillow cover, emptying its feather down the bin, and waiting for the feathers to break down. This process will take some time, though.

Throwing the old pillows in a trash bin or landfill should be your last resort since it renders the pillows completely useless and is the least eco-friendly option to dispose of your old pillow. 

6 Ways to Repurpose Old Pillows

Just because you can no longer sleep on a pillow doesn’t mean it’s useless. Here are some ideas to repurpose your old pillows instead of disposing of them:

1. Make a Pet Bed

If you’ve got a pet, you can help make them comfortable by making an old pillow their bed. It’s a good idea, especially if you don’t have the luxury of spending money on a pet bed. You can also choose to add a small blanket to their new bed.

2. Use as Packaging Material

If you’re moving houses or sending out packages, you can use old pillows to protect items from breaking. The pillows will add a soft layer that shields glassware even if the package falls down.

3. Use as Knee Cushions 

Old pillows will serve as great cushions for your knees if you often do activities that require standing on your knees for a long time like house maintenance or gardening.

Some home workouts require knee cushioning as well, so old pillows may actually eliminate your need for a knee brace.

4. Use as Floor Cushions

You can get a ready cushion cover and stuff one or two old pillows in it. That way, you’ll have cushions if you’d like to sit on the floor, especially if you’re having a friends’ night.

There are other activities you can do with floor cushions, too. I know my little cousins love using them to play and build castles, so I think using old pillows as floor cushions will be a great idea if your house is always busy with guests or kids, and it’ll give your home some fun vibes.

5. Use the Stuffing to Fill Toys

This idea is mostly applicable if you have kids. I’m sure you’ll know the struggle when one of their toys’ stuffing dies out. To fix this, you can remove the stuffing from old pillows and put it in a toy either by its zipper or by creating a small cut in its back and sowing it when you’re done.

6. Use as A Draft Stopper

You can use the stuffing of your old pillows to make a draft stopper. You’ll only have to wrap a rectangular piece of fabric around the stuffing and sew it closed.

You can then put the draft stopper at the bottom of a room’s door to block noises and preserve the room’s temperature.

What’s the Average Lifespan of Pillows?

In general, you should replace your pillows once every year or two. By that time, most pillows will have gotten uncomfortable, letting you know that they need to be replaced. 

One important reason for their short lifespan is that pillows absorb our bacteria, oil, and dead skin cells. So, over time, pillows start to smell, and replacing them becomes necessary to your hygiene. Other reasons are related to their quality and how you maintain them.

How Do You Best Maintain Your Pillows?

Pillows can last longer if you maintain them well enough. Here are some things you can do:

• Constantly fluff your pillow
• Use a pillow protector
• Switch the sides you sleep on regularly
• Wash your pillow according to the manufacturer’s instructions

Our Conclusion on Disposing of Old Pillows

Just because your pillows are no longer benefiting you doesn’t mean they can’t benefit others. You can donate your old pillows to charity or a pet shelter. You can also get them recycled.

Old pillows can also be repurposed into comfy pet beds, floor or knee cushions, draft stoppers, and others, so you should certainly think twice before making the decision to dispose of them.

And may you always sleep comfortably!