I had never thought of washing quilts after they are finished. There are many great reasons to do so and maybe I will start. All the quilts that are used in my home are washed and dried when necessary. There is one hanging on the clothesline right now since my 14 year-old dog had a horrible accident on it during the middle of the night - it actually went into my washer for a hot water wash! It did just fine and smells so much better now ... lol. Before anyone gets worried about it being on the clothesline, part of my line stays in the shade all day so it is ok.