Buckwheat and Pillow Cleaning

Buckwheat Pillow History

• According to the Whole Grains Council, the earliest records of buckwheat cultivation exist in the Balkan regions circa 4000 B.C., but it soon appeared that this grain took a strong foothold in Asia, where it became a dietary staple. Therefore, it is no surprise that Asian countries were the first to use buckwheat hulls in pillows. This practice spread throughout Europe and into North America with colonization efforts.

Advantages

• The primary advantage of using buckwheat as a pillow filler is its durability. Buckwheat hulls will not compress like fiber, so buckwheat pillows last far longer than their fiber-filled counterparts. The hulls are also resistant to mites and fungus, increasing a buckwheat-filled pillow's durability. In addition, buckwheat hulls in pillows allow air to circulate well, which helps keep the head cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

General Maintenance

• Buckwheat pillows require minimal care and are little different than maintaining a regular, fiber-filled pillow. There is an outer casing, similar to a pillowcase, that removes easily. Wash this outer casing as needed just as you would a pillowcase. To freshen up the entire buckwheat pillow, simply lay it for a few hours in the sun about once a month. This airs out the inner buckwheat filler, removing most odors.

In-Depth Cleaning

• Every few months, a buckwheat pillow may require more thorough cleaning. In this case, remove the outer casing and wash as you would with general maintenance. Unzip the inner casing and empty the buckwheat hulls into a plastic bag. Turn the inner casing inside out and get all of the hulls out of the corners and seam as well. Then, add the inner casing to the laundry. Once the inner and outer casings are clean and dry, simply replace the buckwheat hulls in the inner case, zip it up and cover with the outer casing. If some of the buckwheat hulls get lost in this process, replacement hulls are available from most buckwheat pillow manufacturers.