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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 25 of 26. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Shortelise on December 2, 2005, at 2:48:23
I washed a couple of our bed pillows, and one of them turned into a big lump. Not good. These are not old pillows, but I've been hearing about the dreadful things like mold, and heaven only knows what else that grows in pillows, so I wanted to do something to kill all of that stuff.Washing obviously wasn't going to work. So I had this great idea: I put them in the freezer. I figure a day in the deep freeze should kill all those nasties.
The point of this post is this: am I out of my mind? Does it make any sense at all, or should I give my psychiatrist a quick call for a check up? Actually, I see him on Monday, so I'll ask him then. But what do you guys think? Am I nuts? It really seems like a rational thing to do, to put the pillows in the deep freeze. That's what's a little scary.
Yes, this is somewhat tongue in cheek, but on the other hand, if it's a REALLY REALLY eccentric thing to do, I think I might like to know it.
Thanks very much.
ShortE
Posted by Tamar on December 2, 2005, at 4:26:41
In reply to Frozen pillows, posted by Shortelise on December 2, 2005, at 2:48:23
I don't think it's nuts, but on the other hand I'm not sure it will work. I’m no expert, but I doubt freezing your pillows will kill germs in them. It’ll just make the germs cold and slow them down. They’ll thaw out when the pillow thaws. Mind you, I’m basing this on the assumption that freezing food doesn’t kill off the germs. Of course, the things that live in pillows might not be the same things as the things that live in dead animals…
I reckon washing is more likely to be effective, but as you say, there’s the lump problem. I’ve heard that putting a couple of tennis balls in the wash (and in the dryer) can help prevent lumpiness. It might depend on what the pillows are made of.
Posted by allisonross on December 2, 2005, at 8:07:39
In reply to Frozen pillows, posted by Shortelise on December 2, 2005, at 2:48:23
>
> I washed a couple of our bed pillows, and one of them turned into a big lump. Not good. These are not old pillows, but I've been hearing about the dreadful things like mold, and heaven only knows what else that grows in pillows, so I wanted to do something to kill all of that stuff.Hey, did you ever see a magnified picture of a dust mite?! You'd run for the hills, LOL, LOL ..Sorry, now I've given you something ELSE to worry about, LOL
...I've adopted the "it's not that serious, " mode of living....Uncomplicates life for me.
>
> Washing obviously wasn't going to work. So I had this great idea: I put them in the freezer. I figure a day in the deep freeze should kill all those nasties.Hmmmm, maybe would work. Just don't forget, and think of the pillows as giant frozen marshmallows and eat em, ya know. (I really am such a sick puppy, LOL)
>
> The point of this post is this: am I out of my mind?
Probably (LOL), said in a teasing, gentle way!Does it make any sense at all, or should I give my psychiatrist a quick call for a check up? Actually, I see him on Monday, so I'll ask him then. But what do you guys think? Am I nuts? It really seems like a rational thing to do, to put the pillows in the deep freeze. That's what's a little scary.
It makes logical sense to me, but then I am ECCENTRIC, crazy, etc.....
If I had a penny every time one of my friends said: "NOW what did you do....uh-oh, etc......!
Example: (one of thousands). had a dream about my t kissing me. It was ucky, and I teased him about it when I saw him. Kept making references to it, occasionally. I knew it was eating at him (LOL)
For Halloween, I dressed up as a policewoman, told him (t) to close his eyes (he trusts me, silly guy), and handcuffed him, and said: "YOu are under arrest for being a lousy kisser."
My t says he knows no one like me. It's probably a GOOD thing, LOL, LOL
>
> Yes, this is somewhat tongue in cheek, but on the other hand, if it's a REALLY REALLY eccentric thing to do, I think I might like to know it.It IS, and that is why I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it
There are so few of "us" (eccentrics) ya know.
You must excuse me, I have to go and take my comforter out of the oven; I am sure it is done by now.
Grins, Ally
>
> Thanks very much.
> ShortE
Posted by Poet on December 2, 2005, at 8:42:13
In reply to Frozen pillows, posted by Shortelise on December 2, 2005, at 2:48:23
Hi ShortE,
I once baked plant soil to kill bugs in it. Kind of a nice earthy smell came out of the oven, but not a eat it up, yummy smell. So putting pillows in a freezer doesn't sound that crazy to me.
Considering those two Swiss women who sued the hotel they stayed in because of bed bug bites, I can't say I blame you for deep freezing the pillows.
I don't know if freezing kills anything, but I hope it worked. Just remember to thaw them out before you use them. You don't want your face to be frozen to them.
Your Fellow Eccentric,
Poet
Posted by Larry Hoover on December 2, 2005, at 9:46:21
In reply to Frozen pillows, posted by Shortelise on December 2, 2005, at 2:48:23
>
> I washed a couple of our bed pillows, and one of them turned into a big lump. Not good.Not sure what you mean by a big lump. I immediately thought of Tamar's tennis balls in the dryer process.
If the lump is truly a lump, your pillow isn't a pillow any more, is it?
> These are not old pillows, but I've been hearing about the dreadful things like mold, and heaven only knows what else that grows in pillows, so I wanted to do something to kill all of that stuff.
I hear you.
> Washing obviously wasn't going to work. So I had this great idea: I put them in the freezer. I figure a day in the deep freeze should kill all those nasties.Nope. I can say nope for nearly every critter, but maybe not every single one. Ever hear of hibernation? Here's how that works (and coincidentally saves the life of a creature that has stopped eating).....it slows things down. It slows metabolisms so much, that even if something is full of critters, they're too slow to do much metabolizing of whatever it is they might be ready to chow down on. The fact that water freezes really messes with anything that dissolves, too. So, no metabolizing in the freezer.
Washing did far far more to cleanse the pillow than one day in the freezer could do.
> The point of this post is this: am I out of my mind? Does it make any sense at all, or should I give my psychiatrist a quick call for a check up? Actually, I see him on Monday, so I'll ask him then. But what do you guys think? Am I nuts?Why might you be out of your mind? Did I miss something? Is he an expert on pillow-freezing and sanitization?
> It really seems like a rational thing to do, to put the pillows in the deep freeze. That's what's a little scary.
It's rational. Yup. Just ineffective for the intended purpose. Lots of good ideas don't work. I could tell you an inspirational story about Thomas Edison here, but I think I'm already pushing things.
> Yes, this is somewhat tongue in cheek, but on the other hand, if it's a REALLY REALLY eccentric thing to do, I think I might like to know it.
It keeps your food safe from nasties. Why not pillows?
> Thanks very much.
> ShortEE, honey. Here's what I would do. I would slightly dampen the offending lump errr pillow (so it's more uniform to begin with), and I would put it in the dryer with moderate heat and with some tennis balls or some clean sneakers or something that's going to make the noises that mean there are impacts going on down in there and making you leave the house for a little while so the dryer goes nuts and not you.
And if that didn't work, I'd get a new pillow, and forget I ever had a lump.
Lar
Posted by Shortelise on December 2, 2005, at 12:46:24
In reply to Frozen pillows, posted by Shortelise on December 2, 2005, at 2:48:23
Thanks you all for your reassurance of my sanity/insanity. I feel much better.
I did a little net surfing when I got up this morning, and found I am not the only person who thinks freezing the pillows is a good idea! It is actually suggested on a couple of sites! I am not silly enough to believe everything I read, but now I know that if this is a form of insanity, others have it too.
One site said if you live in a very cold area, just to put the bedding outside.
I am hoping at least that the fungi that live in the d;mn pillows is extinguished.
They will also go int he dryer - I did that first. Then into the deep freeze.
ShortE
Posted by Larry Hoover on December 2, 2005, at 14:04:31
In reply to thanks!, posted by Shortelise on December 2, 2005, at 12:46:24
> Thanks you all for your reassurance of my sanity/insanity. I feel much better.
>
> I did a little net surfing when I got up this morning, and found I am not the only person who thinks freezing the pillows is a good idea! It is actually suggested on a couple of sites! I am not silly enough to believe everything I read, but now I know that if this is a form of insanity, others have it too.I didn't know dust mites were killed by freezing. Hmmm. Learn something every day. Other mites clearly aren't. Anyway.
What I read says that freezing will kill mites, but not eliminate the allergens they had produced before they were killed off. Washing in hot water kills them, and also removes their debris.
You mentioned mold. That's where my brain was leaning. Cold won't kill mold. It just slows down, until it's warm again.
Control moisture, and you control mold.
Back to your regularly scheduled Social interaction.....
Lar
Posted by alexandra_k on December 2, 2005, at 14:10:24
In reply to Re: thanks! » Shortelise, posted by Larry Hoover on December 2, 2005, at 14:04:31
hmm
i would have suggested dry-cleaning...freezer.
heh heh.
:-)
i never would have thought of that
but after you mentioned it...
Posted by Shortelise on December 2, 2005, at 14:16:08
In reply to Re: thanks! » Shortelise, posted by Larry Hoover on December 2, 2005, at 14:04:31
We have about 15 bed pillows.
Yes, I read that too. That's why I put them in the dryer.
And the dryer might kill the mold, right?
But hey, listen, just because someone somewhere on the net says that cold kills mites DOES NOT MEAN that cold kills mites.
We don't have any problems with moisture in our house.
First in the dryer, then in the freezer. Then back in the dryer.
Then maybe I'll beat them with a baseball bat, drag them behind my car, put them in the microwave, spray them with DDT, put them in the oven on the clean clycle, and then ... maybe put them back in the freezer. That oughta do it.
Ok, I have to get back to the real world and get these pillows all nicely done.
ShortE aka the mad pillow woman
Posted by Deneb on December 2, 2005, at 14:33:20
In reply to Frozen pillows, posted by Shortelise on December 2, 2005, at 2:48:23
Steam is the fastest way to kill bacteria and bacteria in spore form. How about steaming your pillows for a few minutes? In the lab we autoclave equipment to kill bacteria, even spores. It uses pressurized hot steam to kill the bacteria.
Deneb
Posted by Deneb on December 2, 2005, at 14:39:35
In reply to Steam your pillows, posted by Deneb on December 2, 2005, at 14:33:20
Hmmmm....it would be pretty difficult to fit a pillow into a pot wouldn't it? :-P
Maybe use an iron?
Deneb
Posted by Larry Hoover on December 2, 2005, at 15:51:35
In reply to Steam your pillows, posted by Deneb on December 2, 2005, at 14:33:20
> Steam is the fastest way to kill bacteria and bacteria in spore form. How about steaming your pillows for a few minutes? In the lab we autoclave equipment to kill bacteria, even spores. It uses pressurized hot steam to kill the bacteria.
>
> DenebBut then they're damp.
Posted by Larry Hoover on December 2, 2005, at 15:58:32
In reply to Re: thanks!, posted by alexandra_k on December 2, 2005, at 14:10:24
> freezer.
>
> heh heh.
>
> :-)
>
> i never would have thought of that
> but after you mentioned it...If you're ever concerned about bringing insects into your home, that's what they suggest.....freezing. Killing cockroaches, certain bugs that live on grains...if you suspect a package might be infested, you freeze it for four days. And that's it. Done.
I remember getting some granola cereal with moths in it. Had to freeze everything. Did the job.
Lar
Posted by Shortelise on December 2, 2005, at 16:05:25
In reply to Re: thanks! » alexandra_k, posted by Larry Hoover on December 2, 2005, at 15:58:32
Well, now, you see, that's why I thought of the freezer. Because it's kills all sorts of insctes - I've done the moth killing via freezer, too - and my little mind made a mighty leap!
Posted by Shortelise on December 2, 2005, at 16:10:10
In reply to Re: Steam your pillows, posted by Deneb on December 2, 2005, at 14:39:35
This is REALLY starting to crack me up!!
I imagine taking a king sized pillow to the store to buy a pot in which to steam it, just to make sure it would fit.
Now, that would make my current eccentricity seem not so very eccentric, wouldn't it?
ShortE
Posted by rainbowbrite on December 2, 2005, at 16:14:41
In reply to Re: Steam your pillows » Deneb, posted by Shortelise on December 2, 2005, at 16:10:10
how offten are we supposed to freeze our pillows lol
Posted by Shortelise on December 2, 2005, at 18:19:53
In reply to Re: Steam your pillows, posted by rainbowbrite on December 2, 2005, at 16:14:41
every night, all night.
Posted by Phillipa on December 2, 2005, at 21:58:13
In reply to Re: Steam your pillows » rainbowbrite, posted by Shortelise on December 2, 2005, at 18:19:53
You are all slightly nutty is this okay to say? But seriously why not just buy a new one they're not expensive. Less than the electricity and you time. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Tabitha on December 2, 2005, at 23:25:06
In reply to Re: thanks! » alexandra_k, posted by Larry Hoover on December 2, 2005, at 15:58:32
> I remember getting some granola cereal with moths in it. Had to freeze everything. Did the job.
>
> LarNow wait a minute. Did you eat the cereal with the dead moth larvae in it?
Posted by Sarah T. on December 2, 2005, at 23:41:58
In reply to Re: thanks! » Larry Hoover, posted by Tabitha on December 2, 2005, at 23:25:06
> > I remember getting some granola cereal with moths in it. Had to freeze everything. Did the job.> > > > Lar>
> Now wait a minute. Did you eat the cereal with the dead moth larvae in it?> >
Oh, so that's where "having butterflies in your stomach" comes from!
Posted by Shortelise on December 3, 2005, at 13:45:32
In reply to Re: Steam your pillows, posted by Phillipa on December 2, 2005, at 21:58:13
And we are revelling in our nuttiness!
That's a good question, why don't I just buy new ones.
Several of these pillows are new. Apparently, we are supposed to clean the pillows often, once a month. And I don't buy inexpensive pillows. And more than anything, my husband has his favourite pillows and hates it if I replace them. He likes it when they get all flat and nasty.
Today I am going to buy pillow covers that are special for allergies, and I am going to cover all the pillows, after they have been frozen, beaten, dried, abused, etc., with these covers.
O, that's it. No more. I am going to keep my pillow insanity to myself for now.
:-)
ShortE
Posted by Larry Hoover on December 3, 2005, at 15:05:59
In reply to Re: thanks! » Larry Hoover, posted by Tabitha on December 2, 2005, at 23:25:06
> > I remember getting some granola cereal with moths in it. Had to freeze everything. Did the job.
> >
> > Lar
>
> Now wait a minute. Did you eat the cereal with the dead moth larvae in it?Wouldn't you like to know.
They're very nutritious.
No, I pitched the cereal. I just didn't want to have to pitch everything else. I caught it in time, and nipped it in the pupa.
Lar
Posted by happyflower on December 5, 2005, at 15:06:06
In reply to Re: Steam your pillows » Phillipa, posted by Shortelise on December 3, 2005, at 13:45:32
Posted by Shortelise on December 5, 2005, at 16:11:51
In reply to Frozen pillows, posted by Shortelise on December 2, 2005, at 2:48:23
Posted by happyflower on December 5, 2005, at 18:55:25
In reply to wash your hands often! (nm), posted by Shortelise on December 5, 2005, at 16:11:51
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