One can soak the strips in hot water - some people add a few drops of Dawn dish detergent - let them soak for a couple of hours - rinse - and hand on racks or hangers to dry - or lay them out on towels.
So far - no one has come up with an adequate response for my question/statement:
If a large piece of fabric has characteristics that suggest that washing it would be a good thing - wouldn't a small piece/strip have the same characteristics?