I saw a youtube video that suggests ripping to get the straight of the grain. A couple of months ago, I went to a warehouse fabric place. A REALLY old lady helped me. She just let 'er rip. That's the first time I've seen that since I used to sew back in high school. (I really enjoyed talking to her and she ripped very generously. She gave me at least an extra yard on the 5 that I bought) Back in the olden days, all the fabric departments and stores ripped.
To answer your question, I have ripped. The last few pieces I've bought and washed have been too small to rip. I believe I would actually rip before washing if I were going to rip.
Actually, I've given up on getting the fabric on the straight of the grain. I tried everything and on some, I still can't get it exactly straight, even after washing. So, I do the best I can and put my effort into straight cutting.
bkay