Social media is a hub for home hacks, ranging from genius to downright questionable. Recently, Instagram creator @itsnicolejaques posted an intriguing one to the platform: She recommended sanitizing your pillows outdoors using only sunlight, claiming leaving them sitting out for a while can kill bacteria. As you might've guessed, a debate broke out in the comments as to whether this is true—or if it could even have adverse effects.
It's actually a long-standing question as to whether or not the sun can help you sanitize household items: According to reporting by NPR, a study done by researchers at the University of Oregon found that interior rooms exposed to daylight have fewer germs than those left in the dark. Thanks to its sterilizing UV rays, the sun can serve as a natural disinfectant.
But there’s a catch—sunlight isn’t the most effective way to clean your pillows because it can’t typically remove all the bacteria from a single surface. It’s the act of drying your pillows with heat that guarantees complete sanitization.
Commenters on the video felt conflicted as to whether or not they’d try the sunning method. Some also pointed out that an episode of television series Hoarders disproved the theory. This is true: On episode 1 season 8, they ran a swab test on an item its owner claimed had been sanitized by the sun. It came back with high amounts of bacteria.
While UV light is generally effective when killing some bacteria, you need to ensure your pillow receives direct sunlight for several hours (and yes, that does include both sides). If you’ve got wrinkles, shadows, or even tiny specks of dirt or skin covering any part of of your pillow, you won't end up with total cleanliness.
The best way to truly know your pillows are sanitized is by washing them with detergent and water and then drying them on high heat. This doesn’t mean leaving your laundry in the sun has no benefits, though—they really will look (and smell!) cleaner after being left outside. It also naturally bleaches your pillows, keeping them looking crisp and white.
So, should you be sunning your pillows outside? It has its benefits—as long as you’re sanitizing them indoors, too. Also, note that if your area has a high pollen count and you suffer from environmental allergies, you should probably wait to try this method until allergy season is over. @itsnicolejaques wrote in her comment section that she also deep cleans her pillows and only suns them between regular cleanings, putting the debate to rest.