Think about it: we sleep on a pillow every night, but you can’t wash your pillow as often as you would like. Cue the zippered pillow covers, aka pillow protectors: easy zippered pillow covers that can be taken on and off as much as you’d like and easy laundered. Pillow covers, or protectors, are used to protect dust mites and stains from reaching our pillow. They have a zippered closure for easy removal and placement, making it easy to clean.
You may be thinking, “Isn’t this just a pillow case? Why do I need a pillow protector along with that?" A pillow case is placed over the pillow cover and is used primarily for design and decoration purposes; not protection. Same thing goes for shams—they are decorative and often come with a trim or a flange. These are purely made for decoration and are not meant to be slept on.
So, back to the why of this article: why do we need a pillow protector?
- Keeps your pillow cleaner. As your first line of defense, a pillow protector will get the brunt of the dirt from your hair and face instead of it building up on the down and feather inside the pillow—this extends the time between pillow washings and saves laundry time.
- Blocks out allergens. Pillow protectors are made with tightly woven fabric to keep dander and dust out of the pillow to prevent allergens from building up in the filling of the pillow. Because pillow covers are completely machine washable in hot water and dryer safe, your pillow will remain allergen free.
- Keeps your pillow fluffy. Do you sweat in your sleep? Wake up with oily hair and drool on your pillow? These fluids can end up in our pillow, weighing down the fill and reducing its fluff factor. The pillow protector can absorb these fluids before it gets to your pillow, keeping it lofty and fluffy for longer.
- Assurance against bed bugs. While bed bugs are not as big of a problem with pillows, having a little extra security is nice—especially when you’re travelling.
- Peace of mind while travelling. Always have a clean pillow to rest your head on when you travel, taking the stress and anxiety away from the possibility of sleeping on a dirty pillow.
