This lady neither washes nor starches her fabrics and never had a problem. If I had to wash,dry and then iron yards of fabric before I even cut the fabric (my least favorite part!) I'd never make another quilt! Love precuts especially for sashings and charms and layer cakes as well to aid in cutting down the amount of yardage I need to cut. As far as germs and chemicals, I don't ask department stores to wash all their clothing before I try them on or shoe stores to sanitize their shoes knowing full well many people never wear footies when trying them on or hat stores to sanitize their hats knowing many, many have tried then on before me. To each his own.....just how I feel.