How To Wash Nursing Pillows (Boppy, My Brest Friend, FridaMom, More!)

If you’ve been using your nursing pillow for any time at all, chances are good it’s acquired at least a couple of stains. Baby spit up, poop, and even your morning coffee have started to decorate the once endearing pattern. What do you do?

When washing your nursing pillow, begin by removing the cover from the pillow. Next, ensure that the cover is closed entirely, removing all the air from inside in the process. Wash both items at the same time in cold water on a delicate cycle. Once washed, put both items in the dryer and dry on a tumble cycle with as low heat as possible.

Are you interested in learning more about cleaning your specific nursing pillow? In this article, we will talk about the different brands of nursing pillows and how the manufacturers recommend maintaining them properly. Read on to find out more!

The Best Way to Wash a Nursing Pillow

Washing a pillow has always been a daunting task for most people. With different materials and manufacturer recommendations, it can sometimes be difficult to keep track of how and when you should wash your pillows.

Generally, the best way to wash a nursing pillow is:

1. Remove the cover, if there is one. Push out any air from inside the cover and zip it closed.
2. Spot clean as needed using a mixture of warm water and a fragrance-free, dye-free, hypoallergenic clothing detergent.
3. Wash the cover in cold water on a delicate cycle. Check the manufacturer’s recommendation on the pillow before adding that to the mix. Depending on the material it may not be machine washable.
4. Dry both items on a low setting such as the tumble setting with the lowest possible heat. Again, check the manufacturer’s recommendation on machine drying.
5. Reassemble and continue use.

Although the many different brands of nursing pillows have their recommendations and requirements for washing their pillows, most of the nursing pillows out there today tend to have similar recommendations to washing them.

The Best Detergent to Use When Washing Nursing Pillows

Using the right detergent for washing your nursing pillows is crucial to ensuring that your baby doesn’t have any kind of allergic reaction. Making sure you only use detergent with ingredients that are safe and not harmful is a very important step in providing for your children. With infants or toddlers, their skin is overly sensitive and requires extra care to properly care for it. So, what is in safe detergent you ask?

Infants and toddlers often require detergent that is made specifically for sensitive skin. Babies with sensitive skin may develop a skin rash due to regular laundry detergent. This could lead to more serious conditions such as eczema. Up to 30% of children under age 2 have atopic dermatitis (eczema).

For anything that’s going to come into contact with your baby’s sensitive skin, you should use a detergent that is:

•       Fragrance-free
•       Dye-free
•       Hypoallergenic
•       Made of plant-based ingredients 

There are several different brands of these detergents on the market today at a variety of price points. Dreft and Puracy detergents are both popular choices for baby’s laundry.

Looking for more information about washing baby’s clothes, clothe diapers, and linens? Check out this article!

Dreft Stage 1 Hypoallergenic Laundry detergent

Dreft, although pricier than other, similar detergents, has been around for more than 80 years and has been a leading top pick for parents for generations.

While designed specifically for your baby’s sensitive skin, it is hypoallergenic, and the #1 pediatrician recommended brand. We looked at several different studies and we found that Dreft is a top choice across the board.

What makes Dreft so safe for children?

• Dreft contains absolutely no dyes or harmful chemicals that could cause your baby’s skin to break out or other skin conditions such as eczema.
• It’s safe to spot clean stains and it is useable in all washers.
• Dermatologist tested.
• Named #1 recommended by Pediatricians and Dermatologists.
• Has a “baby” smell when used regularly.

One parent’s review claims, “If you want your baby to smell amazing, get this one. I even use it on baby toys…It has taken out all of his stains. Love this smell and wish they made alike for adults.”

Puracy Natural Laundry Detergent

Puracy is another top pick amongst parents and studies alike.

This natural and inexpensive detergent is perfectly safe for you and your children to use to wash your pillows.

Some highlights of this particular laundry detergent are:

•   Plant-based enzymes and natural minerals.
•   No dyes or brighteners.
•   Bio-degradable products.
•   10x the concentration while being able to use less per load.
•   Developed by doctors specifically for sensitive skin.

One Amazon reviewer raved, “I’m not sure how I happened across this product, but I bought some with some gift cards we earned so that no money was lost if we didn’t like it. I did a comparison load to our Norwex, and found that this stuff not only has a pleasant and clean scent, but it also doesn’t leave oil residue stains AND, get this, isn’t as hard on the clothes as Norwex is! I didn’t even realize that the Norwex detergent was hard on our clothes! And this product is cheaper! Then, for the final test, my kids wore the clothes….and no rashes occurred! I am a convert, 100%, no going back.”

Do You Need to Wash a Nursing Pillow Before Using It?

The need to wash something before using it is always a popular question that people ask. Maybe you even did some research and believe it to not be necessary.

While most manufacturers don’t list washing the pillow first as a requirement before use. Washing with a gentle detergent will help to remove any residual dyes, chemicals, and dust from the pillow and cover.

If you do not use a nursing pillow and a cover it is recommended to wash the pillow. Since the pillow and/or the cover come in direct contact with your baby you should always wash it for the first time just in case.

Do I need to wash baby’s clothes before use? Yes! Check out this article for the why and how.

Should You Use a Nursing Pillow cover?

A commonly asked question amongst new and experienced parents is if they should use a nursing pillow cover. Though it is a great question to ask there really is no wrong answer here. It is up to you to decide if you would like to use one.

Nursing pillow covers are designed to create a barrier between you or the baby and the pillow itself. This barrier is meant to make it easier to clean up messes and, in some cases, for aesthetics. Since covers come in various colors and designs it is both functional and an eye-pleaser.

If you are not interested in using a nursing pillow cover but are interested in protecting the pillow from accidents like spit up, feces, and other incidents, you may prefer to use a burp rag, blanket, or towel instead of a pillow which may be difficult to clean.

Now that we have covered that, let’s get into some more specific details regarding the different leading brands manufacturing nursing pillows. With each brand, there are bound to be slightly different variations to the cleansing process and what they recommend.

How to Wash a Boppy Nursing Pillow

Do you own a Boppy nursing pillow and you need to know exactly how to wash and dry it?

According to the Boppy manufacturer recommendation, to wash the Boppy Nursing Pillow, you should:

1. Remove the slipcover from the pillow and wash each separately. Both should be washed in the same manner: on delicate with an extra spin in cold water.
2. Once washed, you should dry them separately. With the pillow, you should also have something a bit more rigid – such as a tennis ball or a shoe wrapped in a pillowcase – in the dryer to help keep its shape.
3.  If bleach is needed do not use bleach that contains chlorine as it can irritate a baby’s sensitive skin. Never iron the Boppy.

If you are still unsure visit Boppy’s care instructions on their website.

How to Wash a Jolly Jumper Nursing Pillow

Washing a Jolly Jumper nursing pillow is similar to washing the Boppy nursing pillow.

To wash your Jolly Jumper pillow:

1. Remove your slipcover from your nursing pillow and wash separately with cold water on delicate with an extra spin. Make sure when washing the pillow in a top-loading washer you add another pillow or towel into it to help balance the load.
2. Remove and dry separately. Ensure that when adding the pillow, you have fluffed it throughout the drying process. This should be done on low heat and in a tumble or delicate cycle.
3. It is recommended that you not use a bleach that contains chlorine, or any other chemical that could cause an allergic reaction to the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, or skin.

How to Wash a My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow

If you own a My Brest Friend nursing pillow but you’ve found that it has become increasingly dirty but you’re unsure of how to wash it, let us help you!

Here are some instructions from the manufacturer for how to wash your My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow:

1. Remove the slipcover from the nursing pillow.
2. Close the slipcover while ensuring that all air is removed in the process.
3. Wash both items in warm water on a delicate cycle. Be sure not to use hot water and/or bleach.
4. You may dry the pillow on low heat and using a delicate cycle but do not put the slipcover in the dryer. Allow the cover to air dry. Add something rigid to the dryer with the pillow like a shoe or some tennis balls wrapped in a pillowcase.

Like the other brands be sure to check back regularly while washing and drying to ensure the pillow and slipcover remain intact.

View the manufacturer’s recommendations here.

How to Wash a FridaMom Nursing Pillow

FridaMom nursing pillows can be cleaned quite like the other brands listed in this article. Being gentle and cautious while washing and drying are key. Do not use any extra contents like bleach or excess detergent.

Here is a step by step of how to clean your FridaMom nursing pillow:

1. Remove the cover from the nursing pillow.
2. Spot clean any stubborn stains or completely pre-treat cover and/or pillow.
3. Wash the cover in the washer on delicate with cold water. Washing the pillow is not recommended; instead, wipe it off with a clean disinfectant wipe. If still dirty cautiously, machine wash and dry.
4. Dry cover in low heat on a delicate cycle.

So, provided you use caution cleaning your nursing pillow can be quite easy and you can wash the cover as many times and as frequently as you would like to.