Those who want to know how to restuff a pillow can simplify it into three easy steps. This is a useful skill to learn because you’ll never know when you must replace your pillow’s filling. Remember that regardless of the pillow’s materials, the stuffing will lose its form over time.
You will need to restuff your pillow to ensure that it will maintain its ideal loft and firmness. However, don’t forget to learn about the different types of pillow stuffings not limited to polyfill. This article should guide you easily, but you can always modify the steps according to your preference.
How Do You Restuff A Pillow
Step #1. Ripping the seam
Over time, you’ll notice that fluffing your pillow no longer restores its structure that’s influential on your proper sleeping posture. Therefore, you will need to add more stuffing or replace the filling with the same or similar material. You can do this at home by reaping the seam.
Be mindful of removing this stitching as you don’t want to damage your pillow. Use the appropriate seam ripper to do the job to open the pillow. Some types also have an additional liner that contains the filling, so you’ll need to rip its seam as well.
However, you might have a pillow that uses a zipped opening instead. This is more convenient when restuffing a pillow since you don’t need to reap any seams. A useful tip is to use a zipper when closing the opening shut instead of only stitches if you make a pillow yourself.
Step #2. Emptying the pillow
Once you have removed the stitching at the opening or opened the liner’s zipper, you should be ready to pull the contents. Depending on the filling’s quality, you may get by without removing all the contents and instead, add some more stuffing to restore the pillow’s form. However, if you’re only left with clumps or you want to use a different stuffing material, empty the contents in a bag for more straightforward disposal.
Now is also an excellent time to give your pillow liner and case a wash before restuffing the pillow. Remember that hygiene is essential to prevent the buildup of dirt, stains, allergens, and odor on the pillow. But because some stuffings are not meant for frequent washing, you can only vacuum or spot clean the liner.
Use this opportunity to clean the pillow liner and case before adding the new stuffing. It will also remove the remaining pieces of the previous filling if there’s any. Let the liner dry entirely according to the label and material requirements, and you should be ready to restuff.
Step #3. Stuffing
Finally, you can stuff your pillow until you achieve your desired firmness and loft. Do note that different stuffing materials will also vary in the feeling they’ll give, so adjust accordingly. Some notable options are polyfill, memory foam, buckwheat hulls, down, feather, and cotton.
The first two are synthetic options that are excellent for those who like conforming and bouncy pillows, while the remaining three are natural materials, ranging from giving firm, soft, and hypoallergenic pillows. You can also experiment and combine some materials to customize the pillow more. Once done, secure the opening by sewing it, and if it lacks a zipper, you can use this time to add one for easier restuffing down the line.
Why Is Pillow Stuffing Important
As mentioned earlier, there are different types of materials that you can use to stuff your pillow. Each of them results in a different feel and structure that can suit various types of sleepers. You may need something conforming to alleviate pressure, something firm to elevate a body area, or something soft for coziness.
You also have to consider the resulting size and height of your pillow after you added the stuffing. Placing a zipper in the opening allows you to adjust the pillow’s loft to make it more versatile in different sleeping positions. For example, stomach sleepers need something flatter compared to back and side sleepers.
Finally, pillow stuffing can affect your health in various ways. You might be thinking that the pillow stuffing only influences your sleeping posture, but the wrong one can also cause other issues like allergies. Check if you have a sensitivity to certain materials and maintain them properly to keep them clean and safe.
Conclusion
Our pillows will lose their form over time, but it doesn’t mean we have to replace them entirely. If you know how to restuff a pillow, you can restore its structure, adjust the firmness and loft, or try a different material. Start by reaping the seams to take out the pillow’s contents.
You can then wash the liner and let it dry before restuffing. Choose the appropriate fill and stuff as you need to achieve your desired feel and pillow finish. At this point, you can sew the opening shut, but you can also use this opportunity to add a zipper for a more convenient stuffing replacement later on.
You’ll be surprised how maintaining and using the right pillow stuffing plays a significant role in your overall health. And if you know how to restuff a pillow, it will open more opportunities for you to achieve the best pillow, not just for sleep, but overall health.