I Tried A Garbage Bag Hack To Freshen My Throw Pillows: Here's What Happened

We all have our thing. For me, it's pretty throw pillows. I love how they can easily add pizzazz to a piece of furniture without spending a lot (well, because I thrift them). Despite washing the covers from time to time, I felt they could benefit from a refresher in between cleanings. After all, my dog adores cuddling up with my throw pillows, too! That's what got me searching for a hack online.

I was excited to find a brilliant one that involved common household items: a garbage bag, dryer sheets, and a vacuum. Check, check, check. The DIY pillow freshening method was shared by content creator April | Healthy&Beautiful Life, who learned it from her mother-in-law. Pretty much, you're supposed to toss pillows into a bag with dryer sheets, then suck out the air using a vacuum. The end result? Refreshed throw pillows that carry the dreamy scent of laundry day. Yep, I had to try it.

I grabbed a variety of decorative pillows from around my house, along with the supplies. (Next time, I should probably try plumping up the depressing throw pillows as well — just saying.) After opening the garbage bag, I set two dryer sheets on the bottom. While the content creator only used one at the bottom, she appeared to be using the jumbo kind. I then placed three pillows inside, followed by a third sheet. I decided to only use half of my specimen pillows for testing purposes.

Kathleen Shipman/Static Media

Next, I gathered the top of the garbage bag, then stuck the vacuum extension wand inside, sealing it tightly with my hand. My husband flipped the vacuum on and it began drawing out air. It didn't take long for the bag to scrunch up like those nifty ones designed for storage. Once it was fully compacted, I twisted the top and added a clamp to keep it sealed. The hack didn't mention a wait time. However, since I wanted my pillows to have the best chance of smelling like a fresh batch of laundry, I decided to give it an hour.

When I opened the squished bag, my pillows immediately popped right back up. I took them all out for an official sniff test. The first pillow had the glorious laundry scent I was hoping for. That is, until I flipped it over. I noticed that the back didn't have it at all. Next pillow, same dilemma, only opposite. The last one was even less impressive. I had originally thought that the dryer sheets would leave the pillows infused with goodness — but it seemed like only the spots where there was actual contact received the reward.

The hack wasn't a fail, though! It was clear I just needed to make some tweaks in my execution. Back to the drawing board. I'm aware that there are smart ways to reuse dryer sheets, so I decided to give mine a second chance as well. But this time, I cut them into halves first, then gathered the second batch of pillows. I placed a piece intentionally on each ones' front and backside, hoping they'd come out with additional scent. To boot, I decided to leave the bag clamped shut overnight.

I could tell the second batch of pillows seemed much fresher after freeing them from the bag. Both sides had a lovely scent, and it was obvious the additional time helped as well. I spread them on the couch so I could continue testing them out. Like, if I had company in my living room, would they get a whiff of delightfulness? I did indeed like what I was finding, and could see it being a kind gesture before hosting. Much better than smelling golden retriever.

Kathleen Shipman/Static Media

Do I plan on keeping this clever cleaning hack in my back pocket? Absolutely. It could be useful when swapping out throw pillows as the seasons change, especially if they've been tucked away in a closet.  I'd also consider doing it on a Friday night, so I could enjoy the weekend with refreshed pillows. Sure, it'd probably be easier to purchase a fabric spray for in between cover washings — but I like that this DIY involves staples I always have on hand. I'd also be curious to try it with different laundry scents and bigger sheets. Thank you for the great idea, April (and please, thank your mother-in-law for me, too)!