Laundering New Quilts ?
 

I have read so many articles and most comment on the washing after quilt is made. My question is this--do you use low smell detergent and fabric softener ? Febreeze ? A friend received a nice quilt recently but could not use until she laundered it because of laundry smell/odor. She was sad she had to wash it first. Just curious, thanks

I don't wash the fabric or the quilt unless it is for my personal use. I, too, am sensitive to odors in laundry detergent and feel that whoever gets a quilt of mine should have their choice. I do suggest they use several color catchers and wash in cool water.

As soon as I finish a quilt, I take it straight to the washer. Largest load size on the machine and I use Tide free and clear and Bounty fabric soft. both are the ones in the white bottles. No fragrance.

I am the same as Eva - my detergent is fragrance free too. It isn't for others, it is because I don't like the extra fragrance. And I don't use dryer sheets - I have the wool balls.

I use All Free (unscented All detergent) and Downy Free (unscented fabric softener) for all of our laundry, including quilts. My husband has a lot of allergies, and I dislike the smell of cheap perfumes, so this works for us.

I never use Febreze. Why add more chemicals to our environment?
http://www.sustainablebabysteps.com/febreze.html

I just use my regular Tide and no fabric softener. I guess if the recipient doesn't like the smell, they'll have to wash it in their own detergent. I never worry about that.

huh... well I just wash it like anything else. I do use fabric softener and I have even had comments about how much the love the smell. never thought about that.. just figured they can wash it before they use it if they wish

I use fragance free laundry detergent because I have allergy issues to any laundry perfume. I dont' use fabric softener, but if need to will add a little vinegar in that spot. So no fragances smells....and yes, I wash every quilt before it goes out the door (have a dog, markers used, etc)

I wash my quilts when they are done with a Kirkland pod on regular wash cold water. They have a mild scent right out of the dryer but it goes away pretty fast.

If you're wanting to wash quilts and give them as odor-free as possible, then use detergent that is "free and clear" and no fabric softener. My quilts have come out soft w/o softener and w/o static. Definitely wash on cold with a couple of color catchers for peace of mind.

I have given quilts using whatever detergent I was using for my own laundry, and all recipients have said they love the smell. Arm & Hammer, Tide, Purex, Dreft...I've used them all. But if I were aware of a recipient having an issue with detergents, I would probably wash in Dreft and use vinegar the load to rinse out even that smell.