Pillow Cleaning

Is that the voice in your head keeping you away with a reminder that you need to pay the heating bill? Is it your next-door neighbor's wild dance party? No, it could be the mites and allergens in your bed pillow.

You regularly clean your down comforter and launder your pillowcases every time you wash the sheets, but your pillow needs to be cleaned at least every six months. Otherwise, you'll share your bed with some unsavory characters, such as:

• Dust mites
• Fleas
• Ticks
• Dead skin
• Mildew
• Mold

Other pillow form materials, such as wool or foam, need special care--wool pillows can only be dry-cleaned, foam pillows will disintegrate if you do anything other than hand washing. Ahhh...you feel better now. You've paid your heating bill and you're ready to rest your head on your bed pillow. Now if only your neighbor would kick her guests out the door at midnight.

Best Pillowcases For Down Pillows

Walk into a Bed, Bath and Beyond or Linens-N-Things. How do you choose pillowcases in the bedding department? Egyptian cotton, satin, hotel-quality? But your typical shoppers' agony is multiplied like people in the Bed, Bath and Beyond check-out line who have 20% off coupons. How do you choose a pillow case for your bed pillow? Some tips to ease your shopping anxiety:

• Buy softer hypoallergenic pillow cases--don't be afraid to spend more, especially if you have that coupon. Cheaper pillow cases aren't as comfortable and tend to "balloon" your down pillow.
• Purchase high-quality high-thread-count (310 and above) pillow covers and pillow cases. Pillow covers, which are often zippered, fit under pillow cases. Both will protect your down pillow from allergens and dust. The higher quality the pillow cover and pillow case, the longer the bed pillow lasts.
• For that Queen or Jumbo down pillow, choose a standard pillowcase. It won't squish the down pillow loft, so your pillow form stays lofty and luxurious.
• You can buy a pillow case for a down body pillow too.

Worn-Out Pillow

You replaced your mattress and it hasn't even been ten years. You replaced your comforter and sheets. Yet you're still not sleeping well. Use your head--or better yet, look under your head. What do you see?

Hint: It's white, it's fluffy, and your spouse fantasizes about putting it over your face to stop you from snoring. Pillows wear out! If you've had your down pillow since you were in college, it's time to replace your bed pillow. Chances are your pillow form is collapsing.

Shop for a down pillow that's hypoallergenic and supportive--also lightweight so you can easily throw it off when your spouse tries to stop you from snoring. But with the new mattress that feels like a body pillow, your honey may be sawing some logs too!

Down Body Pillows

You love foam in your mattress, foam in your milkshakes, and shaving foam. But when it comes to your body pillow, you want a down pillow form. You already get the benefit of lavender and verbena bubble bath foam.

Sleep experts recommend a foam pillow or firmer pillow, especially a body pillow made of memory foam, if you sleep on your side. But if you're driven to seek out a down pillow to cushion your whole body, try a 160-fill power goosedown body pillow that provides targeted support for those restless legs.

Moms-to-be can benefit from total luxurious cradling a down pillow provides. You can even buy several foam/down hybrid body pillows and synthetic fibers with the qualities of a foam pillow and a down pillow. It's perfect if you're torn between foam and feathers. Now you can feel as relaxed lying on your down body pillow as you do in your bubble bath sipping a foamy latte.

Down Bed Pillows

Goosedown bed pillows. The words conjure dreamtime images of comfort, warmth, and plenty of z's. But if you have neck pain or need to stay put in one position all night, a fluffy down pillow may not give you sweet dreams.

A down pillow is ideal for people who don't mind head tosses all night. You can even customize your down pillow with more loft for more firmness if you sleep on your side, or less loft if you sleep on your stomach or back. Just remember, down pillows can last for ten years, so choose a pillow that's comfortable in the long run--you'll spend a third of your time with that pillow!

A down body pillow will cushion your entire body, so take extra care in selecting one so you don't get pains and have to swap your down pillow for a foam pillow. If you need a therapeutic pillow for neck pain, a foam pillow form is your best bet. It will hold your neck in place and support your spine--that's what a pillow is for, anyway, but some people just need an extra lift.

The drawback to a foam pillow versus a down pillow: You'll have to replace a foam bed pillow every two years. Want the best of both worlds, goosedown luxury and foam firmness? You can purchase a pillow form with a foam core wrapped in warm, gentle goosedown. Of course, even if you buy a pure foam bed pillow, you'll always have your goosedown comforter. No pain in the neck decisions there!