I don't actually wash the material. I fill the machine with the temp of water that I would use normally to wash the finished quilt. I put the fabric into the water, and let it sit for an hour or so. Then I spin the water out. I decided that I only need to go for shrinkage, and not remove soil that isn't there. By removing the agitation process, the material doesn't get so tangled. I just hang the material on a clothes horse to dry. That works for me.