Ever wonder what to do with the old pillows that have been lying around your home?
Rather than throwing them in the dumpster, try to think of what you can creatively reuse or recycle them for.
Pillows take quite a large portion of space in landfills, but with just a little imagination applied, they might just see their way into being reused instead.
Let's explore some fun and practical ideas that can help you figure out how to recycle old pillows in no time!
Read: How to Wash Memory Foam Pillow? 10 Best Cleaning Tips
Use Them as Pet Beds
Got pets? Your furry friends would love a cozy place to snuggle!
Old pillows, especially those that are no longer worthy of sleeping on, make the perfect pet beds.
All you need is a tough cover to make it pet-friendly. So, when thinking about how to recycle pillows, keep your pets in mind-they'll thank you for that extra comfort!
DIY Floor Cushions
Why waste money on overpriced floor cushions when you can easily make your own from old pillows or even a gel pillow?
Stack a couple of them together, sew on a fun fabric cover, and voilà!
You just breathed new life into your old pillows.
The next time you're lounging around or hosting movie night, you'll thank me for these little extra-comfy spots.
What to do with old bed pillows or a gel pillow? Turn them into floor cushions – super easy and cost-effective.
Donate to animal shelters
Wondering how to get rid of old pillows while doing something good?
A great place to donate old pillows and bedding is to your local animal shelter to be used in kennels.
Many shelters will accept donations of used pillows and bedding to be sure that the animals are warm and cozy.
Just give your local animal shelter a call to see if they would be interested in a donation. You will find that disposing of pillows helps animals stay warm and cozy.
Upcycle into Draft Stoppers
An old cushion or even a Z pillow may block those chilly drafts that sneak in beneath your door!
Cut your cushion into strips, coil it firmly, and stitch it into a long sausage form.
Place it at the base of your door, and you'll have a draft stopper. Problem solved!
So when you ask, "Can pillows be recycled?" The answer is yes, but in more imaginative ways!
Compost the Filling (if Natural)
If you have pillows that are made of down, feathers, or cotton, then you are in luck.
Fillings made of these can be composted, which means less landfill waste and a chance to give back to the earth.
You would just have to remove the filling and add this to your compost. That is a good answer on how to recycle old pillows in an eco-friendly manner.
Read: An Ultimate Guide to Choose the Best Down Pillow and Turn Your Way to Sleep Bliss
Upcycle as Stuffing
Thinking about what to do with old memory foam pillows?
Reuse the filling! Cut it into pieces for use in filling new cushions, toys, or DIY poufs.
That way, you are saving money on materials as a filling and ensuring your pillows don't meet their ultimate end in some landfill. Genius, right?
Homeless Shelters
There are so many homeless shelters around you who would be glad to take up old pillows; they will help put together bedding for those in need as long as the pillows are clean and in good condition.
It's such an easy way to figure out how to get rid of old pillows responsibly while helping people.
Picnic Outdoor Seat
If you are fanatic about picnics or gathering outdoors, old pillows or even a Downlite Pillows can turn out to be the best seat solutions for outdoor people.
Cover them with a waterproof material, and you have comfortable, portable cushions. This is yet another wonderful idea for what to do with old bed pillows that are no longer good for sleeping.
Use it in Some Garden Project
Are you still wondering how to recycle old pillows in your garden?
Well, here's one more exciting way to add comfort during your planting or weeding sessions: place them on the ground, and they'll be a good pillow for your knees.
Old pillows can also cushion sensitive plants from frost!
Create a Cozy Reading Nook
Stack those old pillows up against a wall to make a soft, comfy reading nook.
Anyone can do this, kids or adults!
It's a super cool way to repurpose old pillows. You can just throw a blanket over the stack and you're all set.
What to do with old pillows? Turn them into your next cozy retreat!
Dispose of Pillows: How to Know When to Get Rid of Them
Sometimes, pillows are just too far gone to reuse. So, how to get rid of a pillow?
If your local recycler accepts textiles, they'll probably take old pillows also.
Call them first, though. Otherwise, cut them open, if possible recycle the filling, and dispose of the fabric responsibly.
Use these tips and ideas to remind you of what to do with old pillows when you are unsure.
Be you to recycle, give away, or even compost them, you will be giving back to the environment and getting creative with your old bedding.
Read: Expert Tips for Buying the Perfect Pregnancy Pillow
Importance of Proper Pillow Disposal
Disposing old pillows should not only mean the cutting of environmental waste but also public health. Here is why proper caution should be taken on what to do with your old pillows:
1. Reduce Landfill Waste
Pillows, particularly synthetic ones, take years to decompose if left in the landfills. It is figuring out how best to recycle or repurpose pillows as opposed to throwing them that helps reduce the burden increasingly placed on landfills that help towards a cleaner environment.
2. Diminishing Pollution
Besides, chemicals contained within the pillows while being burnt release harmful fumes into the atmosphere. By this reason, recycling pillows in an ecofriendly and pollution-free method has minimized air, water, and soil pollution.
3. Natural Resource Conservation
Since old pillows can be used or recycled ecologically, demand for new material is prevented, thereby saving natural resources used in pillow production such as cotton, down feathers, and synthetic fibers.
4. Supporting Local Communities
Providing old pillows to a shelter or organizations that might need them means you are responsible for getting rid of those items, but you help local communities this way, and through the process of recycling the used pillows, a new life is given to them and helps people need it.
Proper pillow disposal is not a matter of convenience only, but one small but very important step toward an even more sustainable and caring world.
Read: Top 5 Benefits of Gel Pillows to Improve Sleep Quality
Warning: When Your Pillow Has Reached Its End of Usable Life
While pillows can be repurposed, there are times when their life is coming to an end. Pillows that no longer retain their shape, or those that stain and smell regardless of how many times they are washed, do not have much of a usable life left in them.
A pillow that does no longer support your head and neck anymore can also lead to bad sleep quality or discomfort in the neck.
Its upcycling may seem hopeless, so you are forced to dispose of the pillow responsibly.
How To Clean Before Disposal
You need to clean a pillow well before you want to donate or repurpose it.
Machine-washable pillows can be washed in warm water with gentle detergent, and then thoroughly dried on low heat to prevent mildew.
Non-washable pillows can be aired out in direct sunlight to naturally reduce odors and bacteria. Sprinkle baking soda over the surface for added freshness, let it sit for a few hours, and then vacuum off.
This would ensure that the pillow is cleaned, fresh, and maybe donated, upcycled, or recycled.
Environmental Impact of Pillow Disposal
Many pillows end up in landfills, and most are made from synthetic fibers.
Synthetic fibers take centuries to break down, but the feathers in down or feather pillows do not break down until a significant amount of time has passed while they attract pests.
Another way through which synthetic pillows affect the environment is by producing hazardous chemicals whenever such a pillow is burnt as this results in air pollution.
We also reduce landfill waste and resources by coming up with resourceful ways of reusing or recycling used pillows.
Home use. End!
Think creatively instead of putting that pillow in the wastebasket: turn that old pillow into a great kneeler in the garden, protect those knees of yours and get those hands dirty, gardening.
Take them apart and line pet crates or carriers to make walking and transporting a little bit easier on pets. Remember these memory foam pillows; you can cut them into small little pieces to fill new cushions or even use them to make dog toys.
You see, if you really think about it, if you have enough imagination you can always find how to reuse them around your house!
Where to Dispose or Recycle Pillows Safely
Some textile recycling facilities take used pillows. Search for facilities in your region.
Many donation centers or shelters for animals will take clean, gently used pillows for use as bedding.
Some large retailers have textile and bedding take-back programs. Check with your local retailers to see if they participate in this program.
These help make pillow disposal much easier without adding the extra material to the landfill.
When to Replace Pillows for Optimal Sleep Health
Ideally, one ought to change pillows at every one to two-year frequency to ensure maximum health and hygiene. Over the ages, they accumulate dust mites, bacteria, as well as allergens to the extent that degrade good sleep quality, triggers an allergic reaction or other pulmonary complications, besides; no longer can a flat-shaped or thin pillow give shape support to the neck, nor to the head either.
The more the frequent changing of pillows in any given house, the better the sleep hygiene, getting another fresh start each and every night.
Final Thought
Old pillows are no longer required to be discarded as they can still be reused or recycled in innumerable ways.
They can be fashioned into pet beds, donated to shelters or used for any DIY works.
You will hardly find any better option than the landfill trash bag for the old pillows. You would be saving the waste that would land up in the landfills and also supplying resources so that they can be conserved while keeping the environment healthy.
Next time you are wondering what to do with those old pillows, think eco-friendly.
That thing about the littlest efforts making a great difference sure holds true here.
Let's turn waste into something useful while helping out both our communities and the planet at the same time!
Now you know how to reuse and recycle them in a practical and non-polluting manner.
Do you have more creative ideas? Share them with us in the comments!
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What to do with an old pillow?
You can donate, repurpose, recycle, or use old pillows in some DIY projects, such as pet beds or cushions. You can even use them in some craft projects or as a packing material for fragile items.
How to recycle a pillow?
Recycling pillows may include donating the pillows to shelters for the animals, repurposing to use them for other things in your house, or finding programs that undertake textile recycling to accept pillows.
How to get rid of old pillows?
Old pillows can be disposed of through donation, recycling, or repurposing. You may also discover pillow recycling services provided by specific stores and recycling centers.
How to recycle old pillows?
Dial the local recycling center to determine if they accept old pillows or not. If they don't take a pillow, then you could use it to make some home-based DIY projects or donate it in shelters for them to use.
What to do with old memory foam pillows?
Old memory foam pillows can be cut up and used for seat cushions, pet beds or even as packing material. You can also recycle them through specialized recycling programs.
Can pillows be recycled?
Yes, some pillows, especially those made from natural materials can be recycled. But synthetic pillows are most likely going to need to be repurposed instead. As ever, check what your local recycling facilities can accommodate.
What to do with old bed pillows?
There will always come a time when something old can be reused again. You may make crafts out of your old bed pillow, donate them to animal shelters, or recycle them. You can use it as a floor cushion, chair stuffing, or many other things.
