Time to update.
First thanks to everyone for all your advice and imput. I aquired this fabric from my 88 yrold. mother-in-law's stash of 50 years or more. The plan is to make a quilt for each of her 29 grandchildren, "like grandma would make." They will be from grandma.
This material was stored in her basement in her "fabric closet." As I was packing it up, I noticed mouse droppings on the shelves. No nests, no large amounts. But just the fact that there were SOME dropping...I decided to wash all the fabric before I use it. After all your help earlier in this post. I went to Walmart.
I am washing it with laundry soap and OxiClean and Downy. (I'll stop using fabric softener as per suggestion.)I am drying it on lines outside at our new house I strung on a gazebo. It's been 110 degrees outside so that, I feel is also adding to the cleansing of the fabric. Then I am folding and stacking it in piles according to color in the cupbords of my office/sewing room.