'Why do all men have that one flat yellow pillow?': Social media debates whether you should throw out old pillows — and it's not the first time
One man’s lighthearted post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, has divided social media users. He asked one simple question: Should you still sleep on your pillow after it has turned yellow?
X user named Cam (@largemotorcycle) shared how the debate unfolded in his relationship and asked if anyone agreed with him.
“Gf is mad at me because I have revealed to her The Yellow Pillow,” he said in a post from Oct. 21, including a Getty Images photo of a yellowed pillow. “Fellas, i’m sure you all know that this thing is magic.”
Cam later added that despite the coloring, this specific type of pillow “bestows upon me the most peaceful slumber.”
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 pic.twitter.com/OYWmfs4TLO
— cam (@largemotorcycle) October 21, 2023
Along with the post was a stock image of an old, yellow-stained pillow that looked familiar to several X users. But the debate continued over whether yellowed pillows are in fact “magic” because of their long wear, or disgusting. The original post has more than 4.6 million views and thousands of comments.
One notable apparent trend throughout the responses was how the majority of men were pro-yellow pillows, while women disagreed.
“Part of being a man is using the same pillow since the age of 10 and never washing it,” one X user summarized.
The user @neproxin called the yellow pillow “an important part of a real sleepyheads arsenal,” while @helveticagothic insisted they get the “best sleep ever” whenever they use this “sweat soaked abomination.” The user @Ronald_Nuisance said to think of a yellowed pillow as “seasoned, like a cast iron pan.”
Some men even proudly showed off their yellow pillows for all to see.
— SHΣRPλ (@SherpaRage) October 21, 2023
Others emphasized the nostalgic aspect of a yellow pillow.
that one pillow is so loyal and i dont got it in me to throw it out. it’s been with me through the hardest times
— xoup (@xoupgone) October 22, 2023
my fathers pillow. and his fathers before him.
— chris (@normaldude41) October 21, 2023
Despite the emotional ties some men seemed to have with their yellow pillows, most women seemed repulsed.
“I can smell this photo,” wrote @colourmesadder, along with a sick-faced emoji.
“WHY DOES EVERY SINGLE MAN OWN THESE,” asked @Sillym0mm.
Cera Gibson (@CeraGibson) claimed that she actively “begs” men to buy new pillows and has never dated a man who didn’t own at least one.
I beg men to buy new pillows. I have never dated a man who DIDNT have at least one. A pillow case even. A pillow protector. Please. https://t.co/TNuPcLQ9T1
— Cera Gibson (@CeraGibson) October 22, 2023
However, more than a few men on X insisted that getting rid of their beloved yellow pillows was a mistake.
“I got rid of my yellow pillows maybe a year ago and I legit haven’t rested comfortably since,” declared @JacobT_Sharp.
“My life has been a downward spiral since I threw away mine when I was like 23,” added @alcaboqueyolo.
According to the Sleep Foundation, bed pillows eventually yellow due to a build-up of moisture from sweat, oil, drool, wet hair and even skincare products. These yellow stains aren’t just ugly, they can also negatively affect both sleep quality and health, since they harbor harmful bacteria and allergens, like dust and mildew.
“If your pillowcases or pillows have reached a point where cleaning is no longer effective, it’s probably best to invest in new pillowcases for hygiene and comfort reasons,” Dr. Shelby Harris, the director of sleep health at Sleepopolis, told In The Know by Yahoo. “While some sheets and pillowcases become softer with each wash, maintaining clean bedding is important to prevent skin irritation and sleep disturbances.”
Dr. Harris also recommended washing or changing sheets about once a week — or more if a pet shares your bed.
All that said, this isn’t exactly a new debate.
The discussion also took over TikTok in 2022, when creator @samvanfossen posted a stitch about it to a since-deleted video.
“Why do all men have that one flat yellow pillow?” asked the user @alexisfalkiewicz5, whose account no longer exists.
“IDK OKAY?” @samvanfossen replied. “It’s what I’m used to and I can’t sleep without it!”
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