A Second Life for Your Pillow Cases

7 Fresh Ideas

An important part of spring cleaning is sorting out and upgrading your bedding. This will also provide you the opportunity to relinquish or better yet -- re-purpose -- sheets or pillowcases that you no longer regularly use.

In bed linen sets the sheets often discolor and wear out more quickly than the pillowcases. So we end up with several pillowcases that have been lightly or rarely used, without the sheets that go with them. Rather than keeping piles of pillowcases in your closet or throwing them away, you can upcycle them into something useful! Here are some classic ideas.

Make protective masks

One of the most current and helpful uses for old pillowcases is to make a protective mask to protect yourself and others from Covid-19. An article published in the New York Times reported the studies of Mr. Yang Wang, an assistant professor of environmental engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology, found that a 600 thread count pillowcase (4 layers) should be more protective than a bandanna (4 layers). You can also watch this video to learn how to make a mask from a pillowcase without sewing.

Protect delicates in the wash

Even for washable lingerie or the childrens’ favorite soft toys, care must be taken not to damage them. Place them in a pillowcase and tie the opening with an elastic hair tie. Then start a delicate wash cycle.

Similarly, when machine washing fragile sweaters, tights and other delicate textiles similar to lingerie, place them inside a pillowcase, close the opening and wash on delicate. Your items will be protected from friction and will protect them from being snagged, deformed or damaged.

Organize your closets

- Bedding accessories:

Do you have several sets of sheets jumbled in a linen closet? When it comes time to change the sheets, you waste time finding the matches, untangling them and stuffing the rest back in the closet. One solution to this common problem lies in the use of your old pillowcases. Store the freshly laundered sheets of each of your sets inside one of the old pillowcases. You will have a tidier closet and be able to quickly find the linens you are seeking.

- Protective covering for clothes:

Rather than buying bags to protect your seldom-used clothes, try using your old pillowcases. First, make an opening in the center of the closed pillowcase part; then insert a hanger.

Likewise, use pillow cases rather than plastic bags to store your winter clothes during the summer months. They will be protected from dust and mites, and also avoid the musty smell that plastic can cause.

Dust high places

- Dusting Fan Blades

If you have a ceiling fan, then you know that dusting the blades can be a challenge. You must climb on a stepladder and stretch out to reach the full length of the blades. By doing so, you get the job done, but the dust inevitably falls back to the floor or on a piece of furniture. To prevent this, thread an old pillowcase over one of the blades, then gently slide it off, keeping the dust inside. Shake the dusty pillowcase outside and do the same for each of the blades.

- Cleaning ceilings

Cover your broom with an old pillowcase to remove the cobwebs without scratching the paint on walls and ceilings or leaving ugly marks on them. In addition, you can more easily remove the cobweb or dust from the pillowcase than from broom hairs.

Store laundry

Use a pillowcase to sort your dirty laundry (whites/colors) at home or when traveling. On wash day, all you have to do is empty the pillowcase and your laundry is pre-sorted and ready for the washing machine.

Protect toddlers

- Changing table:

Cover the changing table or mattress with a pillowcase, which you can change easily and as often as necessary. This is more practical because it is less slippery than a terry cloth towel.

- Protect clothes:

A used pillowcase can be made into a protective apron or bib. Simply use scissors to cut a notch on each side for the arms and one in the center for the head. This protection can be used when crafting and also as a bib when eating something very messy. An instant onesie!

Decorate dining chair backs

Whether you want to cover a damaged chair back or decorate it for a special occasion, an old pillowcase can be just the ticket. Just slide the pillowcase over the chair back and add a colorful wide ribbon at the bottom to give the dining table a different and fun look.

Check out our prior blog post on other ideas to upcycle your bedding. Reach out to our customer service team if you have any questions.