Using old fabric for charity quilts
I just ran a load of older fabric (probably '80's) through the wash - 14 minute wash with All unscented and Borax, hot water - and it still smelled a bit like "basement." I find that I am very sensitive to the dust and whatever else is in this older fabric - sneeze and cough all the time I'm near it - but we use an awful lot of it in our Linus charity quilts, because we get it free.
I'm now soaking the load with water and vinegar and will leave it an hour or so before re-washing. What if it still smells? (It has happened before.) I have a super sensitive nose, myself - my husband doesn't even smell this. I hate to give this to a child in a hospital, even though it should be super clean by the time I'm done. I could throw the fabric away, but that doesn't solve the problem that all the other quilters are using old fabric. I'm troubled by this and don't know just what to do. Any suggestions?