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You probably wash your bed sheets and pillowcases about once a week—on a rare occasion, maybe every two weeks. (If it’s any longer than that, we need to talk—especially if your pets sleep in the bed.) But has it ever occurred to you to wash your pillows?

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Perhaps this tidbit will be the bit of encouragement you need: They’re grosser than you could possibly imagine. To put a finer point on it, they’re ideal breeding grounds for everything from dust mites to the flu.

One British study found that after two years, approximately one-third of a pillow’s weight contains dead skin, dust mites (which eat the dead skin), and droppings (poop from all those mites). Not to mention, it’s suspected that dust mites affect the majority of allergy sufferers—yikes!

It's not exactly a financially sound decision to buy new pillows every week. But take a look at a pillow’s care label and you might find some welcome news: While you can hand wash your pillows, you can likely throw them in the washing machine, too.

Experts recommend washing your pillows every six months to prolong the lifespan. Here's what you need to know:

If you own a memory foam pillow, chances are you’ll have to stick to spot-cleaning. The process will be similar to cleaning a memory foam mattress.

No pillow is meant to last forever. Some stains won't wash out, and maybe your aching neck or sore back demands a change. Sleep experts suggest replacing a pillow every few years, however, this list of questions may be helpful in deciding when to upgrade:

These are all signs to replace a pillow—and we've got several recommendations. Of course, your purchase will depend on your sleep position—for example, the best pillow for side sleepers isn’t necessarily the best pillow for stomach sleepers. Your budget and the material you’re after will factor in, too. But here are some of the best pillows we’ve tested.

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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.