How to Wash a Quilt

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Quilts are wonderful for fall and winter evenings. Often, they are also a special heirloom that has been passed down from generation to generation. Quilts are very delicate and should be cleaned with great care.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Woolite
Plastic clothes pins
Small tub or container

Handwash

Step1

Any quilt can be handwashed. To prepare quilts for washing, shake them out to remove any loose dirt or items. Smaller quilts can be placed in sinks or small tubs. Larger quilts will need to be handwashed in a bathtub or very large container.

Step2

Fill your tub or sink with warm water. Add a delicate soap, such as Woolite, to the water. Place the quilt inside the water and let it soak for a few minutes. If the quilt is very dirty, let it soak for at least 30 minutes, adding more warm water after 15 minutes.

Step3

After the quilt has soaked, use your hands to rub the material together. Be especially gentle around the stitching areas as seams can come loose after several years. This process removes the dirt and grime ground into the quilt.

Step4

Let out the water in the sink or tub. When all the water is removed gently squeeze the quilt to remove the excess water. When the excess water is removed, add more water to the quilt to rinse. Gently squeeze and rinse out the quilt until the water runs out clear.

Step5

Hang your quilt to air dry. Do not expose the quilt to direct sunlight if drying outside as the sun can fade the quilt's colors over time. Use plastic clothes pins to hang your quilt. Wooden ones can snag the fabric.

Washing Machine

Step1

Before washing, shake the quilt to remove any excess dirt or loose items. You also need to inspect the quilt to see if there are any stitches coming loose. This usually occurs in older handmade quilts. If any loose stitches are found, they need to be repaired before washing. The seams can come undone even more if washed.

Step2

Turn the washer temperature to a warm and gentle cycle. Use a gentle soap, such as Woolite, and add it to the water. Place the quilt inside the washer by itself. Do not add any other items, as other items can cause tearing of the quilt material.

Step3

After washing, you may use your dryer or hang the quilt to dry. Using the dryer can cause more fading of the colors in the quilt and also a weakening of the seams due to the heat.

Tips & Warnings

Quilts can take a long time to dry. Wash your quilt in the early morning so it can hang to dry all day long. This should ensure that your quilt will be dry by day's end.
Quilts usually last longer if they are air dried.