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Dried pillow over 2.5 days, is it contaminated?

 
 
Reply Thu 13 Oct, 2022 09:46 pm
I just spent about 2.5 days drying a pillow (in the dryer). It was not taken out of the dryer that entire time and before that it was only in the washer. The dryer was opened several times so I could check to see how wet it is.

The reason it took so long to dry was because first, it was dried together with a bedsheet, which wrapped around the pillow while drying which screwed up the sensor into thinking it was dry. After I removed the bedsheet, I dried it for several cycles, and I found out that it was still wet. It was then that I discovered that the pillow had a pillow case still on it that was not obvious. I removed it and ran a couple more cycles. Now it seems dry.

So my question to you is, is the pillow contaminated at this point? What about the dryer? And what about the bedsheet removed earlier?

Additional context: the reason it took 2.5 days to dry was because there were long periods of time when it was in the dryer after a cycle where it failed to dry where it was sitting there either soaking wet or moderately wet or damp depending on what stage of the process it was in between the times I checked on it. The contamination I’m concerned about is mold or bacteria in the pillow, bedsheet, and dryer. There is no visible contamination on anything, nor any unusual odors, but I’m especially concerned about something deep inside the pillow, as it was soaking wet and probably overwashed. Thanks in advance for answering my question.
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Type: Question • Score: 5 • Views: 418 • Replies: 15
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jcboy
 
  2  
Reply Fri 14 Oct, 2022 02:41 am
@Letareus,
You spent 2.5 days drying a pillow? why not just buy a new one? And not from that my pillow guy, he's a trumplican nut. Razz
Letareus
 
  1  
Reply Fri 14 Oct, 2022 03:01 am
@jcboy,
Btw, it’s a standard down pillow. I explained in detail why it took so long. Also, if I bought a new one, I would have to wash it anyway. And that doesn’t address whether my bedsheet and dryer are contaminated.
hightor
 
  1  
Reply Fri 14 Oct, 2022 03:15 am
As long as it was in the drier, which is a mold-free environment, it should be fine. Do you commonly have mold problems where you live?
Region Philbis
 
  2  
Reply Fri 14 Oct, 2022 04:44 am
@Letareus,
Quote:
Also, if I bought a new one, I would have to wash it anyway.
why?
engineer
 
  1  
Reply Fri 14 Oct, 2022 06:04 am
@Letareus,
I think you are fine. The other stuff besides the pillow are definitely fine.
0 Replies
 
tsarstepan
 
  2  
Reply Fri 14 Oct, 2022 08:58 am
@Letareus,
Letareus wrote:

Btw, it’s a standard down pillow. I explained in detail why it took so long. Also, if I bought a new one, I would have to wash it anyway. And that doesn’t address whether my bedsheet and dryer are contaminated.

I suspect you suffer from OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) and whatever answer you get here isn't going to satisfy your neurotic irrational compulsion.

If your dryer was in fact working properly hitting the highest tempertures it was designed to do so at its highest level? It likely would have killed any mold and most bacteria. But you should already know that and I'm not sure what level of reassurance you're asking for. And that you'd accept it in the first place.
Letareus
 
  1  
Reply Fri 14 Oct, 2022 10:37 am
@hightor,
I have had occasional mold problems and fungal infections on my face. I have also been informed recently that leaving clothes in the washer for long periods of time is a bad idea because it could grow mold, mildew, or bacteria. I don’t see why this doesn’t extend to the dryer if you take something soaking wet from the washer and put it in the dryer and then have it sit there for days, which is essentially what happened here.

As I said, I washed the pillow too long. It was so wet it was like a giant bean bag, so wet that even after squeezing some it dripped a lot of water on the floor just transferring it to the dryer right above. And it stayed that wet for at least a day, even after I ran it, for reasons stated. The dryer and laundry are exposed to mold when I open it, no?

If you still think the dryer is still mold free despite that I’ll take some solace in that.
Letareus
 
  1  
Reply Fri 14 Oct, 2022 10:39 am
@Region Philbis,
I was taught to always wash clothes, linens, etc before first use, even if new.
Letareus
 
  1  
Reply Fri 14 Oct, 2022 11:01 am
@tsarstepan,
I did not use the highest temperatures. I almost never do because I believe it can damage some types of laundry. For example, I think it shrinks cotton.

I used the medium setting. As I am not a laundry expert and don’t care to become one, and I don’t want to bother figuring out what laundry is made of and use different settings for different things, I basically medium temperature dry everything and cool wash everything.

I googled drying a pillow after the initial failure. Apparently, you are supposed to use low heat for a very long time to dry a pillow and if I had to do it over, that’s what I would do. But I figured the damage was done if any and just continued with medium heat.
hightor
 
  1  
Reply Fri 14 Oct, 2022 11:15 am
@Letareus,
I found this:

https://ars.repair/dryer-repair/is-there-mold-in-my-dryer/

But that still doesn't mean that the pillow is necessarily contaminated. For your own piece of mind, assume that it is and wash the drier out with vinegar. As long as your pillow remains dry any remaining mold spores will remain inert.
Mame
 
  1  
Reply Fri 14 Oct, 2022 11:54 am
@Letareus,
Just take it to a dry cleaner and quit fretting over it.
0 Replies
 
Letareus
 
  1  
Reply Fri 14 Oct, 2022 12:19 pm
@hightor,
I may do that thank you.
0 Replies
 
Region Philbis
 
  1  
Reply Fri 14 Oct, 2022 01:49 pm
@Letareus,

i've never washed a pillow in my life.

don't you use a pillow case?
0 Replies
 
CalamityJane
 
  2  
Reply Fri 14 Oct, 2022 10:07 pm
@Letareus,
Don't you have a spin cycle in you washing machine? My laundry comes out moist and not soaking wet. Also, why would you leave laundry for days on end in the washing machine or dryer? That's absurd! If you are really concerned about mildew then wash the pillow again, use the spin cycle and then let it air dry in the sun. The sun naturally eliminates mildew.

I have expensive natural down pillows and I never washed them. I have a pillow cover that gets washed every week, that suffices.
glitterbag
 
  2  
Reply Fri 14 Oct, 2022 10:24 pm
@CalamityJane,
Washing anything with down filling is a torture trip. Just take it to the dry cleaners..............and never leave wet clothes in the washer, it will get stinky.
0 Replies
 
 

 
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