How to Reuse and Recycle Old Pillows

There are few things that I love as much as getting brand new fluffy pillows, but what should you do with those dirty, lumpy, stained old pillows? If it's a feather pillow, you can use the feathers to stuff a new pillow. If not, try some of these ideas.

Before using your old pillows for anything, you should wash them first. In the washing machine, soak them in warm or hot soapy water for half an hour. Wash and rinse them on a normal cycle. Tumble the pillows dry on medium heat. You can use chlorine-free bleach if necessary.

The stuffing inside of old pillows is great to use to stuff handmade children's plush toys as well as pet toys. Be sure to clean it well first. You can also use the cloth from the outside of the pillow to make the outside body of the pet toy. Cats and dogs both love these.

If you have a small animal such as a hamster or a gerbil, you can give the pillow stuffing to them to use as nesting material. They love fluffing it up and burrowing in it.

Cats and dogs also enjoy using pillows for bedding. You can use an old pillowcase or make a new cover for the pet bed from some cute animal print fabric. I like to sew a zipper down one side to keep the cover from sliding off if the pet roughs it up a bit. One pillow is the perfect size for a small dog or cat, but you can sew two or three pillows together along the long side to make a bigger bed for a larger animal. Even if you do not have a pet, you can donate the recycled pet beds to your local animal shelter.

Wild birds love to use fluffy things as nesting materials. In spring, you can put some pillow stuffing in a strawberry basket and nail it to a tree or fence post. The birds will pull the stuffing out from between the holes and use it when building their nests.

Pillow stuffing is great to use in pin cushions. You could make several to give away as gifts. To learn how, see my article on how to make cute pin cushions out of recycled used cat food cans HERE.

You can use pillows and pillow stuffing as packing materials to keep your breakable items safe. Use them when shipping or pack them around your Christmas ornaments and decorations before putting them away in storage.

I like to keep an extra pillow in the car in case my kids get tired on a long drive and want to take a nap. They can also put it in their lap and use it to prop up a book or a game.

You can make a laptop activity center for kids using an old pillow. First, cover the pillow with new fabric. Next, get a piece of masonite board from an art supply store or a hardware store. Use heavy-duty glue to glue the board to the pillow. This can be put on your lap and used to hold a book, laptop computer, or other project.

You can use an old pillow to line the bottom of a pet carrier. They are soft and cuddly and the familiar smell will comfort your pet on trips to the vet or if you take them on vacation with you.

Those in need might find your old pillows useful. See if your local homeless shelter or battered women's shelter can use them. If not, you can also donate them to Goodwill.