We all have our own definitions of "clean." For some people, it means not a dang crumb left on the counter, whereas to others it means "Eh, at least you can see the floor." But one mom really ignited a debate over cleanliness when she admitted that she hasn't washed her pillow once in the 10-plus years since she got it. And let's just say that people had some very strong feelings about that.
The heated controversy broke out after an anonymous mom admitted she hasn't washed her beloved pillows in over 10 FREAKIN' years -- and sees nothing wrong.
We're not trying to judge, but 10 years is a long time to be putting your face on something nightly for hours without giving it a nice wash from time to time. The mom admitted that she believed there was a connection between her pillows and a bad case of acne that she just couldn't get rid of — which seems to make sense considering the bacteria that has likely accumulated over the years.
In a post on Mumsnet, the mom wrote that she's had bad acne for years and after trying every conceivable way to get rid of it "new creams, drank more water, washed my pillowcase more often," it dawned on her that something else could be the culprit. "Today I realized that I have not washed my pillow once in the 10+ years since I bought it," she wrote. "[Dear Partner] is horrified and I feel very very judged, but surely I am not alone in my slatternly ways?!"
Well, that admission was enough to completely gross out many people online.
"This is why we can't have nice things," one person wrote in the comments.
"Do you mean you've used the same pillow for 10 years?!" another commenter wrote. "I wash them every few months and replace maybe every 2 years."
But one person really got Mumsnet users heated, after she suggested the mom buy new pillows every six months. "Buy new pillows — non-feathered — frequently — much more frequently than every six months. It’s basic hygiene," she wrote.
But others pointed out that to throw away pillows that frequently would be terrible for the environment. "The world's doomed with some of these attitudes," one person shot back.
Others online admit that they're part of the gross pillow club and have never thought about washing theirs.
"Washing pillows is a thing?" one person asked.
"I’ve never washed a pillow either," a second person wrote. "We use pillow cases and thick pillow protectors which both get washed regularly."
And another person admitted to not washing their pillows, despite using "pillow protectors and pillow cases. Never occurred to me to wash them tbh!" the person commented.
According to CNN, the real deal is that people should be washing their pillows every three to six months.
"One study found that 16 species of fungi can live in an average pillow, and the stuffing actually attracts allergy-causing dust mites," the article explained. That is a pretty horrifying thought if you ask us.
So just to be safe, moms of the internet, wash your dang pillows regularly.
