I live in NYC and do not have a washing machine - just a laundry room and we can't control the machines like you can a home machine - so I never wash my batting and have been told by my LQS to never wash batting. I just made a quilt with wool batting and am now afraid to wash it after alisonquilts comments. I do wash my quilts after I make them so the new owner will not be suprised after they wash it.