Originally Posted by Barb_MO
I can't believe anyone would try to wash an old quilt in the bathtub. Even if you drain the wanter then try to squeeze out most of the water out of the quilt , it would weigh a ton. I wouldn't have enough towels in the house to try to blot the excess water out. Hanging on the line or laying out flat to dry would take so long.
I don't have a sensible suggestion for getting the odor out, but I have hung dry quilts on a line outdoors, especially in winter.
This is exactly how a gal at the Smithsonian Museum instructs how to wash quilts - in the bathtub! You should have a screen or something to lay it across because it will be very heavy. However, if the quilt is very old it is recommended NOT to wash it. Instead you vacuum it. First you vacuum the quilt, but not by putting the vacuum on it and running it over the quilt. Instead, you want to put a screen through a small embroidery hoop and use your vacuum hose nozel to gently vacuum the quilt through the screen.
If you have a lot of birds in your area you don't want to put it on a clothes line outside either, for obvious reasons. (Darn birds just love to sit on my quilts and deficate! :evil: ) Instead, lay a sheet out on the floor and spread your quilt out to dry on it. If you have a fan, put that near the quilt and turn it on. The airflow will help it dry faster.
Somewhere in my quilt room I have the instructions for this. Let me see if I can find them (without getting lost myself!) and I will post them. If nothing else, you'll get to see how the Smithsonian treats their quilts.