I have used a solution of 1/4 cup of Dawn original dish detergent, cup of Biz and let it soak for a two or three days in a bucket or tub of water. I would not run it through the washer, but would ring it out by hand. Also there is a "Grandma's Spot Remover" available at your quilt stores or online from Eleanor Burns. Good Luck!

Here is a site that I check out when I have a problem and don't know what to do.

http://www.stretcher.com/menu/topic-a.htm#cleanrecipes
Mary

Wow...thanks for all the suggestions!! I found the fabric available at an online quilt store so I'm thinking maybe I should just replace that section of the quilt back. That might be easiest. It would only require a yard.

As to the mold on my cutting table. I have the supplies to recover it (been meaning to do that for years!) so I think I will take your suggestions and strip off the fabric and padding and treat the wood underneath and take outside into the sun (if we ever get any!).

I suspect the batting has mold on it too so I'm thinking maybe it should be replaced too. Have you ever washed batting alone? Does it stay together? I could use bleach on it because it won't matter if it bleaches it out.

Thanks!

What an awesome site! I definitely bookmarked it :-D

Most batting can be soaked by itself but cannot tolerate agitation. The only kind I know of that cannot tolerate even soaking is old-fashioned 100% cotton such as Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon batting. Polyester battings, 80/20 battings, and cotton battings that are either needlepunched or needlepunched through scrim can be safely soaked (but not agitated).

I would probably replace both the fabric and the batting. It's pretty easy to baste batting together with a hand tailor-tacking stitch, with a long and wide machine zigzag, or there's even a fusible tape out now for this purpose so you can just iron the batting pieces together. To me, this would be the safest route.

I would definitely replace/cleanse the batting as well. Even wipe the walls/surfaces nearby where your mould appeared. Mould throws out spores quite a distance. Sorry if I sound a bit paranoid, but I take immune suppressants, so I get a bit over the top when it comes to things that can cause infections/illness.

Good idea. I had DH take my whole table outside today. I think I'm just going to toss it and make a new one some day.

And I'm going to replace that quarter section of batting and backing. I think then it will be hard to see what happened. Sad part is I have to rip out a fair amount of quilt stitches. Oh well. Gives me something to do while I watch tv :)

I would still use mold cleanimg technique, the mold spores will have made it into the batting and maybe the top. I don't was quilts in a agitator machine. I think the twisting damages the quilt.

You can purchase a mesh laundry bag at the Dollar Store. I wash all kinds of stuff I can wad up and cram in there. I've even washed my silk flowers in one, using the dishwasher(top rack) to wash with.

I should perhaps add that for soaking purposes, I am recommending soaking in a top-loading washer without ever letting it agitate. It's a convenient way to soak a quilt for a long period of time -- a day or two. Just turn the machine off after the water fills and let it sit. When ready to take out, advance switch to spin, allow rinse water to come in, again stop machine to skip agitation cycle and advance to spin cycle. Two rinses is good.

Agree that agitating a quilt in a top-loading washer is not a good idea. However, spin cycles. When soaking, just hand agitate once in awhile by pushing down on the quilt in the tub. Do the same for the rinses.