Caring For Your Quilts

April 29, 2025

We use the majority of my quilts, and by use, I mean they are well used, lol. They are used on the beds, drug around by grandkids, taken outside to lay on the grass, and can often be seen with the cat or dog snoozing on them.......all those things are are part of our "real life". Yes, I have some that are more for display, like Christmas quilts, and some of my themed applique quilts aren't being laundered often. A good airing outside may be all some quilts need. But today I thought I'd chat about some of the things to keep in mind when you do need to actually launder your quilt.

**I'm sure we have all heard that dry-cleaning isn't the best option for quilts. The chemicals used in the cleaning process can damage the fabric, batting, thread. Some of the strong chemicals may also cause color bleeding in some fabric. I certainly wouldn't want to risk an antique or heirloom piece by dry-cleaning.

**Handwashing would be ideal, but let's face it.......who wants to handle a heavy, wet queen size quilt? Handwashing is a good option for runners, tabletoppers or small baby/throw size quilts.

**It can be scary to think about throwing your quilt in the washing machine, but they are amazingly resilient if a few things are considered. Today's fabrics aren't as prone to color bleeding as they once were but that doesn't mean it doesn't occasionally happen. For years, quilters "pre-washed" their fabrics prior to assembling their quilt for this very reason. Although most people don't prewash any more, it certainly would be an option if you were worried about a particular fabric running. Just remember if you prewash any of the fabric in your quilt top, you need to prewash it all so it all shrinks consistently. Deeply saturated colors are more prone to running: reds, blues, purples.

But now we have Color Catchers as another option available when laundering quilts. I absolutely love Color Catchers!!!! In case you haven't heard of them, they are similar in appearance to dryer sheets. When taken out of the box they are white like a dryer sheet but instead of using them in the dryer you add them directly to the washing machine. I always throw a couple in the washer the first time I wash my quilts and if I'm worried at all about significant bleeding, I throw more than that. I've saved the color catchers that I used when I first washed a scrappy red and white quilt, so thought it would be neat to show you how well they work. The white one on the left of the picture is a new, unused Color Catcher for comparison. Those little suckers really "pull" the dye and trap it!

Here is a picture of the quilt. and although you can see different shades within the white background fabrics, none of them have absorbed any of the red dye. The color catchers did their job well!

Here is a close up to show you a larger portion of some of the white background, and no red bleeding anywhere!

Along with using color catchers, I don't use hot water, and I usually set the machine to a gentle setting so it doesn't tug, pull and twist the quilt while it is being agitated.

Another important thing to remember is not to let your wet quilt sit in the washing machine after the cycle is complete. Wet fabrics laying against wet fabrics are more apt to transfer color, so remove your quilt as soon as the cycle is complete and inspect it to see if there are any bleeds.

If you do get a little bleed, you could try using Synthrapol which removes excess dye from fabrics. Never use Retayne if you already have a bleed, as it is a "color fixative" and will set it even further. I've never had a real disaster with color bleeds, mainly because for years, I prewashed my fabrics, and now I use the color catchers. I have heard some really good things about using Dawn dish soap if you have a disaster. If you see color bleeding when you remove your quilt from the washer it is very important that you DO NOT DRY YOUR QUILT. That will only set the color even more. Many people swear by filling your tub with very hot water and a generous amount of Dawn ( I would recommend doing a spot check to ensure the Dawn doesn't cause any further issues) and allow the quilt to soak for a few hours. Drain the tub and repeat until the water isn't colored any more. Remember, if you have any wool in your batting that you can't use this hot water technique as it will shrink your batting. Once the water is clear, rinse your quilt and now would be the time to use the Retayne product if you wanted to, or even vinegar or salt which are both known to help "set or lock in" the remaining color.

So now.........what about drying your quilt????

Some people are adament that your quilt shouldn't be dried in the dryer, that it should only be laid flat to dry (spread out on towels etc) or hung on the line to air dry. Personally, I have used the dryer on a lower heat setting for the first few minutes to help take out a bit of the dampness and then I like to hang it to finish drying. I try not to hang my quilt like the following picture, as I feel the full weight of a wet quilt is heavy and may pull and strain the stitches, I usually try to throw it over the line so half of the quilt is hanging down one side and the other half is hanging down the other side.

Full disclosure at this point: I usually line dry the larger queen size quilts because they are so crowded in the dryer, but many of my smaller lap quilts, and throws routinely get thrown in the dryer and I have never had a problem.

And although this isn't really about washing or drying your quilt, one other thing to think about is where you display your quilts. I have had significant fading of a quilt when it was draped on the back of a chair that got afternoon sun. Needless to say, only the side folded and laying toward the sun faded and the underside remained crisp and bright.

I have to admit, I love the "crinkled" look of a well washed and worn quilt. I find it very comforting. Do you like that look, or do you prefer the "crisp, flat" unwashed look?

Twila

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