How to Store Spare Pillows (UK Guide)
How to Store Spare Pillows (UK Guide)
Every household accumulates spare pillows: the guest-room pair, the ones from the old bed, the extras bought “just in case” before Christmas. They sit in a cupboard for months, and then the moment arrives — guests are coming, the spare room needs making up — and out comes a pillow that smells faintly musty, feels oddly flat, or has picked up the scent of whatever it was stored next to.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Stored properly, a spare pillow stays fresh, keeps its shape and is genuinely pleasant to sleep on months later. Stored badly, even a good pillow deteriorates quietly in the dark. The difference comes down to a handful of simple habits: clean it first, dry it completely, give it breathable protection, and choose the right spot in the house.
This guide walks you through the whole process — preparing pillows for storage, the best places and methods for keeping them, how to handle long-term storage, and how to bring a stored pillow back into service so it feels as good as the day you put it away.
How to store spare pillows in six steps
The short version, for those in a hurry:
- Clean it first. Never store a used pillow straight away — wash it if the care label allows, or air it thoroughly.
- Dry it completely. Even slight dampness turns musty in storage. This step is non-negotiable.
- Protect it breathably. Slip it into a cotton storage bag or a clean pillowcase — something that keeps dust off while letting air circulate.
- Choose a cool, dry, dark spot. An airing cupboard shelf, a spare-room wardrobe or under-bed storage all work well.
- Keep it off bare floors and away from outside walls, where condensation and cold can creep in.
- Check it every few months, and always air it out before guests arrive.
The sections below explain each step in detail — and answer the questions everyone asks, including whether you can vacuum pack pillows.
Step one: always clean before you store
This is where most storage problems begin. A pillow that looks clean has still absorbed months of use — and sealing that away in a bag for half a year concentrates everything you’d rather not think about. Always start storage with a fresh pillow.
If the care label allows machine washing, that’s the gold standard: wash, then dry thoroughly. Synthetic fillings such as hollowfibre and microfibre are generally the easiest to launder at home. Feather and down pillows need more careful handling — always follow the care label, as the wrong wash can damage the filling.
If washing isn’t practical, a thorough airing is the next best thing. Hang the pillow outdoors on a dry, breezy day (out of prolonged direct sun, which can yellow fabrics), or stand it by an open window for several hours, flipping it halfway through. The goal is the same: a pillow that smells of nothing at all before it goes away.
While you’re at it, inspect the pillow. If the filling is lumpy, the pillow stays flat no matter how you fluff it, or it smells musty even after washing, it’s telling you something — storage won’t revive it, and it may be time to replace it rather than store it. There’s little point carefully preserving a pillow nobody will enjoy sleeping on.
Step two: dry it completely (the step everyone skips)
Dampness is the enemy of stored pillows. A pillow that feels “nearly dry” will develop a musty smell within weeks in an enclosed bag, and once mustiness sets in, it’s stubborn to shift. After washing, dry the pillow fully — if the care label permits tumble drying, use a low heat with a couple of clean tennis balls or dryer balls to break up the filling; otherwise air-dry it for as long as it takes, which can be a day or two for thicker pillows.
The test is simple: press the centre of the pillow firmly and hold your hand there. If you feel any coolness or dampness at all, it’s not done. Patience here saves you from unwrapping a disappointment months later.
Where to store guest pillows: the best spots in a UK home
The ideal storage spot is cool, dry, dark and ventilated — boring, but effective. In a typical UK home, the best candidates are:
- An airing cupboard shelf. The classic choice, and usually the best one: warm, dry and out of the way. Just avoid cramming pillows directly against the hot-water cylinder if it runs very hot.
- A spare-room wardrobe or the top of a wardrobe. Dry, dark and easy to access when guests are imminent.
- Under-bed storage. Excellent use of dead space, especially with zipped under-bed bags that keep dust out. Fine for any bed that isn’t directly on a cold floor.
- A landing or hallway cupboard. Often overlooked, often ideal — as long as it stays dry.
And the places to avoid:
- Damp lofts, garages, sheds and cellars. British outbuildings and unconverted lofts are rarely dry enough, and temperature swings encourage condensation. A pillow stored in a garage will smell like a garage.
- Against outside walls, particularly in older houses, where condensation gathers in cold weather.
- Near paint, cleaning chemicals or strong-smelling items. Pillows absorb odours readily — store them away from anything with a scent you wouldn’t want on your face.
- Anywhere prone to leaks or flooding, including under sinks and below ground-floor windows with a history of letting water in.
If your only option is a less-than-ideal spot — a loft, say — a sealed plastic box with a lid is better than an open shelf, and it’s worth checking the pillows more often. But a dry indoor cupboard will always win.
Storage methods compared
There’s no single right container — it depends how long the pillow will be stored and how much space you have. Here’s how the common options stack up:
| Method | Pros | Cons | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breathable cotton storage bag | Keeps dust off while letting air circulate; reusable | Takes up full space; costs a little | Best all-round choice, especially long term |
| Clean spare pillowcase | Free; you already own several | Thin protection; not sealed against dust | Short-term storage in a clean cupboard |
| Vacuum storage bag | Huge space saving | Compresses filling; unsuitable for feather/down | Synthetics, short term only |
| Plastic box with lid | Protects from dust, pests and knocks; stackable | Can trap moisture if pillow isn’t fully dry | Lofts, garages and under-bed use |
| Under-bed zipped bag | Uses dead space; keeps things tidy | Can be awkward to access | Guest pillows in small homes |
| Original plastic packaging | It’s to hand | Not breathable; traps any residual moisture | Very short term only |
For most households, the sweet spot is simple: a breathable cotton bag (or a clean pillowcase) on a dry cupboard shelf. It costs almost nothing, it works, and the pillow comes out in the same condition it went in.
Can you vacuum pack pillows?
Yes — but only synthetic pillows, and only for short-term storage. Vacuum bags are brilliant space-savers for hollowfibre and microfibre pillows you’re putting away for a few weeks or months: the filling compresses neatly and springs back when you open the bag.
There are two important caveats. First, don’t vacuum pack feather or down pillows. Compression can damage the delicate clusters, and they may never fully recover their loft — you’d be trading a little cupboard space for a permanently flatter pillow. Second, don’t leave even synthetic pillows compressed indefinitely. Months of tight compression can tire the filling. If you’re storing for the long term, release the vacuum every few months, let the pillow breathe and refluff, then re-seal if you need the space.
One more practical note: vacuum bags only work on a bone-dry pillow. Sealing in even slight dampness under vacuum is a fast track to mustiness. If there’s any doubt about dryness, don’t seal it.
How do you store pillows long term?
Storing pillows for many months or longer — between tenancies, for a holiday let in the off-season, or just the guest pillows you use twice a year — follows the same principles, with a few extra emphases:
- Breathable beats airtight. For long durations, air circulation matters more than space saving. Cotton storage bags or pillowcases outperform sealed plastic.
- Don’t compress them. Store pillows uncompressed, with nothing heavy stacked on top. Long-term squashing flattens filling that would otherwise bounce back.
- Choose the most stable spot in the house. Somewhere with steady temperature and low humidity — an indoor cupboard rather than a loft with wild seasonal swings.
- Check them every few months. A quick look and sniff takes a minute and catches problems early. Air them out, refluff, and return them.
- Feather and down need room to breathe. These fillings suffer most from long, tight storage, so give them space and check them a little more often.
Handled this way, there’s no reason a good pillow can’t sit out a year or more and come back perfectly serviceable.
How do you keep stored pillows from smelling?
Mustiness is the classic stored-pillow complaint, and it’s almost always preventable. The formula is straightforward:
- Start clean and bone dry. Nine out of ten storage smells trace back to a pillow that went away less than perfectly fresh or dry.
- Use breathable protection. Cotton bags and pillowcases let moisture escape; sealed plastic traps it.
- Store somewhere with a little air movement — a ventilated cupboard rather than a hermetically packed box.
- Keep scented products at arm’s length. A lavender sachet in the cupboard is fine; tucked inside the pillow’s bag, the scent can transfer to the fabric and feel overpowering at bedtime. Never store pillows with mothballs or strong air fresheners.
- Air them periodically. Every few months, take stored pillows out for a few hours by an open window. It takes moments and keeps them smelling of nothing — which is exactly what you want.
If a stored pillow has picked up a mild stale smell, don’t despair: a full wash (if the care label allows) or a long airing outdoors on a dry, breezy day usually sorts it. Persistent mustiness after that, though, is the pillow telling you it’s finished.
Bringing stored pillows back into service
Guests arriving Friday? Give stored pillows a little revival routine rather than putting them straight on the bed:
- Air them out. A few hours by an open window — or outdoors on a dry day — freshens any pillow that’s been sitting.
- Fluff them properly. Shake, punch and knead the pillow to redistribute the filling and restore loft. Feather pillows especially benefit from a vigorous plumping.
- Wash if needed. If the pillow smells less than fresh or it’s been stored a long time, wash it according to the care label and dry it completely before use.
- Dress them fresh. A clean pillowcase is obvious, but consider a pillow protector underneath too — our guide to pillow protectors and pillowcase sizes explains how they add a washable barrier that keeps the pillow itself cleaner for longer, which means less frequent full washes.
A pillow that’s been stored well should need nothing more than airing and fluffing to feel inviting again. If it still feels flat or smells off after all that, it’s served its time — replace it rather than inflicting it on guests.
Mistakes that ruin stored pillows
- Storing a pillow that’s even slightly damp. The number-one cause of musty stored pillows.
- Vacuum-packing feather or down. The filling may never recover.
- Leaving them compressed for months on end, even synthetics — release and refluff periodically.
- Choosing a damp loft, garage or cellar over a dry indoor cupboard.
- Stacking heavy items on top, which flattens filling over time.
- Forgetting about them for years. A quick check every few months takes a minute and catches every problem early.
Spare pillow FAQs
Can you vacuum pack pillows?
Yes, for synthetic pillows (hollowfibre, microfibre) stored short term — vacuum bags save a lot of space and the filling springs back. Don’t vacuum pack feather or down pillows, as compression can permanently damage the filling. And don’t leave any pillow compressed for many months; release, refluff and re-seal periodically. Always make sure the pillow is completely dry before sealing.
How do you store pillows long term?
Clean and fully dry the pillow, slip it into a breathable cotton bag or pillowcase, and store it uncompressed in a cool, dry, dark spot — an indoor cupboard beats a loft. Check it every few months, air it out and refluff. For feather and down, long-term storage needs extra care: keep them uncompressed with room to breathe.
How do you keep stored pillows from smelling?
Start with a clean, bone-dry pillow; use breathable protection rather than sealed plastic; store it somewhere dry with a little ventilation; keep scented products out of direct contact; and air the pillow every few months. A pillow that goes into storage smelling of nothing will come out smelling of nothing — which is exactly right.
The bottom line
Storing spare pillows well isn’t complicated: clean, dry, breathe, and check. A breathable bag on a dry cupboard shelf, revisited every few months, keeps guest pillows fresh and ready for years. It’s a small habit that pays off every time someone stays over — no more apologetic sniffing of the spare pillow ten minutes before bedtime.
And if your spare pillows are past their best rather than just resting, it may be time for fresh ones: a dedicated Guest Bedroom Pillow Set means you’re always ready for visitors, and storing new pillows properly from day one keeps them that way.