Fluff Up Matted Fuzzy Pillows With TikTok's Easy Hack
Fabric made of fur is among the oldest and most prestigious materials the world has known. For a time, and even now, it symbolized affluence and power. However, as fashions grew, so did the call for the humane treatment of animals and options for other fabrics, which brought faux fur into being. Today, faux fur pillows are made to look like many different animal coats; most of them are made from polyester, acrylic, and modacrylic fibers in varying heights, colors, and naps. The material tends to be more easy-to-care-for, versatile, and cost-effective than real fur, but while it doesn't require the same level of maintenance, it's not entirely maintenance-free.
If you've ever tried to clean a shag carpet with the wrong type of vacuum cleaner, you're already familiar with the challenges that long, faux fur fabric can pose for cleaning. You need the right tools and methods to clean them, but luckily, you likely have these things in your possession already — especially if you have pets. The best way to get mats out of your fuzzy pillows is with a pet brush, but a blow dryer and some fabric spray can make the results even more satisfying.
Untangle mats with a pet brush
A brush, ideally one made for teasing mats out of pet hair, is the unsung hero for detangling fibers after correctly washing a faux fur blanket. The process of fluffing up matted fuzzy pillows isn't all that different. Using a brush with shorter, wide-set metal bristles, start in one corner of the pillow and work your way across the surface, brushing out the fibers slowly and carefully. It's normal for some of the furs to break off with brushing, but it shouldn't be too noticeable. If your fluffy pillow starts shedding dramatically, you may have a larger problem. In this case, double-checking that you didn't miss something on the care tag and contacting the manufacturer is the best course of action.
Repeatedly brushing the same spot until the fur is untangled can take a very long time. While some may seize this chance to catch up on their favorite TV show, others might not have much extra time to dedicate to the chore. Thankfully, problem-solving fluff lovers have found ways to make the process easier and faster — with the bonus of giving their faux fur pillows a fresh scent.
Take it a step further with a hair dryer and laundry spray
If you've ever worked with faux fur and synthetic hair while crafting or sewing, you may already know how these fibers react to heat. Too much of it, and you're likely to melt the material, but too little heat will have no effect. To fluff up her fuzzy pillow, @summayadecor on TikTok uses a blow dryer set to high heat and moves it around in a circular motion so the heat isn't concentrated on any one spot for too long. After several minutes, you can see the hairs changing texture and separating from their mats; she shakes the pillow to show how silky the faux fur has become. Keep in mind that brushing the fabric out while blow drying can speed up the process, but it will also make the fibers straighter.
Some people also like to use this time to deodorize their fuzzy pillows. With the help of a pre-made fabric spray, like Febreze Fabric Refresher (under $10 at Walmart), or a homemade fabric softener multi-purpose spray, you can mist your fluffy pillows before brushing and blow drying to make them smell fresher.