Getting a good night's sleep is great, but it can be a challenge, especially if you have to worry about allergies from dust or any dirt that might get on your pillows as the months wear on.

Rose Valencia, executive housekeeper for Discovery Suites since 1999, says pillows must be cleaned two or three times a year. Here, she tells us how to clean four kinds of pillows, depending on the filling material.

For more cleaning tips, check out these FN articles:

• Keep It Clean: 10 Common Clothes Stains and How to Get Rid of Them
• On the Shelf: 20 Ways to Clean and Store Collectibles
• Cleaning Is Cathartic: How to Dejunk Your Home
• Save Your Space: 10 Tips to Keep Your Home Clean and Organized
• All Washed Up: 8 Laundry Tips You Should Follow

(First published in the October 2003 issue of Good Housekeeping, Home 101: Solutions section as "The Best Way to Clean Pillows;" adapted for use in Female Network. Photo by qmechanic via Flicker Creative Commons.)