5 Genius Ways To Fluff Your Pillows For Maximum Comfort

It's no secret that pillows lose their squishiness with time and become lumpy or flat. This is because they give off air when you lay on them. In an ideal setting, the pillow regains this lost air and jumps back to shape. However, the time it takes for this to happen depends largely on the fill materials and their air circulation prowess. For instance, certain fill materials like foam and shredded fibers tend to stick together instead of assuming their original fluffy shape. Dust mites further block air movement, making it necessary to regularly care for and clean your bed pillows.

Besides affecting the aesthetic appeal of your bedding, a pillow as flat as your mattress will make it difficult for you to drift off at night. Worse, it may burden you with a sore neck, back, shoulder, or head come morning. A general rule of thumb is to squish your pillow for a few seconds or fold it in half when making your bed every morning. If it regains its shape immediately, you're in the clear. Fortunately, there are several ways you can fluff your flat pillows, including massaging them with your hands, scheduling a heat session in the dryer, and giving them a sun bath. Try these five genius ways to plump them for maximum comfort. If nothing works, it's probably time to replace your pillows.

If you've ever harbored grand dreams of playing the accordion and mesmerizing thousands, now's your chance to fulfill them without fear of embarrassment and get your flat pillow to the required loft. Win-win! So, clutch the sides of your makeshift accordion and mimic how you'd play the instrument. Simply put, grab the sides and compress them inward, but don't go overboard — you don't want to bend your pillow out of shape. Afterward, rotate the pillow 180 degrees and repeat the same motions.

Although the accordion method will plump your pillows, it might not help break down clumpy chunks. For these, you can channel your inner masseuse and work the lumps with your fingers to break up the bond between the fill materials. If you're as good with your hands as Monica Geller from "Friends," you might want to assume the role of chef instead. Just imagine you're Gordon Ramsay and pretend you're kneading a particularly clumpy dough for your pasta. The choice is yours! Continue with your hand motions until you feel the lumps give way. The two hand-fluffing methods work because it breaks up the clumps and enhances air circulation, helping your pillows achieve the desired loft level. As such, these methods are best for pillows with fibrous fill materials like down, down alternative (polyester), microfibers, or cut-up memory foam.

You might have seen someone screaming into a pillow to let go of their frustrations, but you can do something better. Think along the lines of punching, pinching, chopping, and dropping it with force from a great height. Sounds glorious, right? Well, the next time your pillows lie lifeless on your bed, hold them above your head and drop them with force on an even surface (your mattress is a good option). Ensure the drop is impactful (just imagine how the great Hulk would do it) to help shuffle the fill materials. If annoying your siblings used to be your side-hustle, relive these memories by pinching diagonal corners of both the pillow and its cover — between your thumb and index finger — and stretching them.

Another great way to work off your frustrations is to use the chop method. Simply rest the pillow upright on your bed's edge and send a gentle chop to the middle of the top-end using the side of your hand. Just avoid going all "Karate Kid" or it may lose its shape forever. Moreover, this method isn't beneficial for pillows with latex, memory foam, and contour as their fill. Alternatively, picture your nemesis faces along the sides of the flat pillows and hit them with a few punches (nothing too hard, especially if you're dealing with feathers). You can even hit the lumpy areas to smoothen the surface.

In case your hand-fluffing methods leave a lot to be desired, try the laundry secret that will revive your pillows from flat to fluffy: tossing them into the dryer. Similar to the hands-on methods, a dryer is ideal for products with broken fill materials like down, polymicrofibers, down alternative, and shredded memory foam. However, before you toss your pillows into the drum, check the manufacturer's instructions or care label first to ensure they can be subjected to the machine's heat. You don't want to accidentally put in a non-compatible design and shorten its lifespan. Additionally, don't put in wet (even slightly wet) pillows inside the dryer or they'll get flatter.

Begin by putting a few pillows inside the dryer drum to even out the load (but don't stuff it to the brim). Next, get a tennis (or dryer) ball, place it inside a tube sock, and toss it into the machine. This will help knead out pillow clump, encourage movement and fluffiness, and promote airflow. If you don't have a tennis or dryer ball handy, use a stuffed animal like a teddy bear or rolled towels and shirts instead. Select the low-heat setting to make sure the fill materials don't take a beating, and repeat the process a few times until you're satisfied with the volume of your pillows.

If you don't have a lot of time and can't indulge in hand-plumping or keep an eye on the pillows while they embark on a merry-go-round inside the dryer, this method is for you. The technique is incredibly simple. Start by shucking off the case from your pillows. Follow this up by plopping your pillows on a dry surface in direct sunlight and leave them be for a few hours. If that's not possible, attach two clips (or more for pillows that are quite heavy or big) on either end of each and hang them from a clothesline. However, check your homeowners association's (HOA's) guidelines to make sure you're not flouting any rules against drying laundry on a clothesline.

The sun's UV rays, coupled with the warm breeze, will encourage air circulation and help your pillows regain their original shape (yep, with fluffiness intact). Plus, you'll be able to get rid of disgusting odors and bacteria lingering on the surface. This method is completely free, doesn't require any effort, and is perfect for several kinds of pillows, including down, down alternative, and solid memory foam. There's just one caveat: The weather needs to be sunny without a cloud in sight. Rain will just make things worse, especially if you're not home to rescue your pillows from the downpour.

When you've exhausted all your options and your pillow still looks a little shapeless, you might benefit from trying a few unconventional methods. For starters, check if you have an adjustable pillow by removing the cover and looking for a zipper along one of its sides. If there is, you might be able to restore its fluffiness or give it the desired loft by stuffing additional fill materials inside. Some manufacturers send them along with the pillow so you can adjust its height. In case you don't have any handy, you should be able to purchase them from the manufacturer or another retailer. After you have the fill materials, stuff them evenly inside your pillow to restore its fluffy shape.

Additionally, make it a habit of plumping your pillows with your hands regularly to maintain their squishy texture. Regularly changing their covers is also necessary to form an effective barrier between your night sweats and the fill materials. Furthermore, arm your pillows with dedicated protectors to keep dead skin cells, dust, dirt, moisture, sweat, and oil from getting absorbed in the fabric and restricting airflow, leading to flat and shapeless surfaces. We recommend Utopia Bedding's standard size (20 x 26 inches) two-set waterproof pillow protector. It retails on Amazon for about $13, is made of polyester, and is available in multiple colors. Don't forget to cover it with a pillowcase to keep it in good shape.