Reason why pillows go yellow after man sparks viral debate over 'The Yellow Pillow'

If you’ve spent any time online this week, you may have come across the tale of the bloke who says his other half was ‘mad’ at him after he revealed The Yellow Pillow.

Now, while it’s not the wildest story you may have heard this week - that one was debunked, don't worry - the lad, who goes by the name Cam, sparked a lively debate after he ‘fessed up to owning the grotty item.

In a now viral post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Cam shared a photo of his incredibly yellowed pillow and said: “Gf is mad at me because I have revealed to her The Yellow Pillow. Fellas, I’m sure you all know that this thing is magic.

X

“It’s not my fault the pillow is yellow and bestows upon me the most peaceful slumber.”

And it turns out that there are plenty of other Yellow Pillow devotees, who flocked to the replies to back him up, while others thought the whole thing was disgusting. I’ll let you make up your own minds about where you sit on that scale.

One commented to say they 'legit haven't rested comfortably since' getting rid of their loyal Yellow Pillow, and another said their 'life has been a downward spiral' since they got rid of theirs.

A third chipped in to say that part of being a man was 'using the same pillow since the age of 10 and never washing it'.

But what causes a pillow to go yellow? Well, there’s actually a few reasons but almost all of them boil down to moisture.

Pexels/cottonbro studio

First up - and probably the most grim - sweat, when you sweat during the night this soaks into your pillow turning it a shade of saffron.

Alongside this, your saliva and drool can contribute to turning your pillows yellow as well as the natural oils in your skin and hair soaking into it.

And, if you’re the type of person who has a nightly skincare regime then those oils, lotions and creams you’re slathering on before bed could also cause your pillow to take on a yellowish hue.

Time magazine also warns that you might want to make sure your hair is properly dry before you go to the land of nod, if you’d like to keep your pillow cases as pure and white as driven snow, as the wetness from your hair can end up giving you a Yellow Pillow.