Originally Posted by
Prism99
I wouldn't soak a quilt for 24 hours, as I don't like potentially bleeding fabric touching other fabric for that long while wet. If you let some washable glue dry on your hand, you can pretty well tell how easily it will wash out by rubbing it under some water. White water-soluble glue dissolves in water; I honestly don't understand why it would need soaking, especially not for 24 hours.
Edit: I'm not seeing a link to the Elmer's site mentioned by frannella. I have a bottle of Elmer's washable school glue here, and on the back it says "TO WASH: Pre-soak 10 minutes in cold water. Follow garment maker washing instructions." Ingredients are not specified, but my understanding is that this glue is simply starch.
Oops--sorry my cut and paste didn't work. It's on the Elmer's site in FAQ section under "Clean up Solutions" <http://www.elmers.com/about/faqs/clean-up-solutions> : "....when [glue is] dry, do not use hot water, dry cleaning solvents, a hot drum dryer or iron before the removal of the adhesive is complete, as they can fuse the adhesive film irreversibly, making removal impossible. Soaking in room temperature water for 24 hours or longer will help to redisperse or soften the film. After soaking, wash the fabric in a normal wash cycle and allow it to dry at room temperature. Check for discoloration and stiffness on drying. If so, repeat the process until the item is cleaned to your satisfaction."
I was thinking the soaking made sense because you were encasing heat-set glue in fabric, but I am really glad to know the 24-hour soak is unnecessary. Even though I used a lot of bright solids in my quilt, nothing ran, but I prewash everything in Synthapol and ovus soap before starting and if I can't get a purple or red (worst offenders) to stop leaching color I don't use the fabric.