I have been wondering how other people clean their quilts. I wash mine on gentle and then air dry them. This is the way my mother has done hers for years. Do any of you dry yours in the dryer, are you afraid of shrinkage or twisting? I would like any feed back and/or suggestions. Thanks.

I make my quilts to be used. That's means washing.
I wash with Orvus paste in the washer on a gentle cycle and tumble dry in the dryer.
The only quilt I have had fall apart was the first one I made for my son. It didn't get washed, and he was using it all the time. It literally rotted and fell apart.

I wash my quilts individually in the washer and then dry them in the dryer. I love the "worn" look and feel of them after they are washed and dried. :)

I make my quilts to be used daily, so I wash on my regular setting (I have a front loader) and I always use the dryer on my regular setting. They never shrink, I don't have a twisting problem either. I just open them up before I put them in the dryer. I hand quilt so I never make anything larger than a twin. Hope this helps.

I throw mine in the wash and I tumble dry them on low. I haven't had a problem yet. There is some small amount of shrinkage, particularly as I don't usually pre-wash fabrics, but I like the look it gives.

i usually will wash a quilt before i give it back. The ones that i've finished have been returned to people who will look at it, and it's not going to get the "abuse" of a child.

When i wash, i will use a delicate cycle cold water and let it air dry. I try to do that in the summer when i can lay the quilt on the back porch and dry outside. I haven't made a place in the basement yet.

I have one of mine in the washer as we speak, it has been washed many times before and then I will put it in the dryer. My quilts are quilted by a long armer or hand quilted by me and so far none of them has fallen apart.

I wash on gentle with cold water and dry in the dryer on low or cold air. I like my quilts washed and dried that way but I really can't air dry mine...we have allergies to outdoor things. Besides washing and drying does make them softer. And with kids I like to make sure they are clean and dried all the way through. Hope this helps. :-)

I wash all of my normally....regular hot in washing and dry is normal drying. I don't do anything special as when they leave my home I want them to be used and loved without any specific instructions for laundering them. Of course art quilts are a different story....cold wash and light drying until dry. I have never had any problems with these methods.

I wash them, dry them, put them where they go. If they can't live up to a normal washing and drying then I should quit quilting. I make them to be used, abused, loved, and worn out. As long as I can see and get to my stash it's not like I can't make more. I don't make them to be museum pieces.

My antique ones are given special attention but not the regular quilts.

I put everything, even my silk clothing and underwear, in the regular washer and dryer. If it is a big quilt, I will take it to a laundromat and use the large front-load machine, but that is rare. My top-load washer will handle a king-sized comforter, so just about everything will fit.

I do us a delicate or hand-wash cycle as needed.

I always put them in my own washer & dryer even the king size ones. I have a stack washer & dryer, but it's a full size one. I haven't had any problems to date.

Between the dogs, kiddo and husband our quilts are washed at minimum once a week. My favorite quilt is the one my mother made for my daughter when she was 1, that was all batiks. I quickly claimed it as mine and have used it daily since then. It gets washed with cold water with all free and clear soap and then dried on low. I have never had a problem with the washings. This quilt is well loved and still looks brand new other then the fingernail polish stain...

As long as it is adequately quilted and stitched/pieced, I don't think laundering a quilt will hurt it. The ones I have made get heavy laundering, and I haven't heard of one falling apart yet :D:D:D

i put them into the washer...my own if they fit, the laundrymat if they are too big...then i toss them into the dryer. I love how they come out all soft and fluffy!
even my silks/velvet/corduroy/wool/flannel crazy quilt gets tossed into washer and dryer (for almost 10 years now) nothing bad has ever happened. except the one time i did not have a couple appliques stitched down well and they came up....I felt that it was a really good thing i always wash my quilts as soon as they are finished before they go to anyone. that way if anything is going to happen i will know and can fix it before the recipient has to deal with any stress.

I do same as you.

I just toss mine in the washer and dryer like normal clothes. I do tend to wash a new one alone for its first washing with a color catcher to judge how much/if it will bleed. When I know it's okay, it's then just considered normal laundry. I make my quilts to be used and loved. If they end up falling apart in years to come, well that's just an excuse to make another quilt!

I throw mine in the washer and dryer.

I wash the quilts I use in the washer and hang them outside to dry. They have lasted for years, I only wash them twice a year. I like the look and feel of new quilts so I don't wash them. I have scads that I have made and need to find homes for them so I can have room for all I have in the works. I never wash my fabric before I cut it, as I like the feel of new. I've never had any to bleed yet in 20 + years of quilting.

In the washer. Reg cycle. Reg detergent..gotta get that thing clean again. Toss in drier. Ready to use again.

Mine are all handquilted but they go in the washer and dryer. They are meant to be used. This is from the lady who washed her daughter's $800 wedding dress that had gotten dragged in the mud at the historic site reception. I threw it in the washer but did hang it up to dry. Most of the places you pay big bucks to "preserve" your wedding dress throw it in a washer as soil is the thing that destroys the fabric.

I hand wash in the tub, spin dry in washer, and air dry on line.

wash & dry on normal settings - with 4 cats & a dog - mine get washed frequently & I've not had any problems

Wash with a color catcher on gentle. Dry in the dryer, stopping the dryer every 5-10 minutes and adjusting the quilt so it doesn't get wadded up.

Our local laundromat has some extra large machines. I use those--both washers and dryers. They get cleaner and dryer faster.

We have a large size washer on purpose. I wash on gentle, cold water only and use at least one color catcher sheet. Some reds and deep colors bleed, no matter if they have been prewashed ... so use a color catcher always and never use warm or hot water. Then machine dry on low or air dry as appropriate. This does make the batting and some fabrics shink a bit ... but it gives an old-timey feel. If you do not want the shrinkage, then choose a batting (such as polyester) that doesn't shrink and prewash all fabrics.

I use Grandma's Spot Remover to treat any spots and Ivory Soap or Vintage Quilt Soak if soap is needed. For gentle cleansing only, I do not use any soap; just add a bit of fabric softener instead of soap.

We do not use dryer sheets at all as many people are allergic to these.

PM if you would like me to send you via email one of my Quilt Care and Storage sheets.

Woolite on cold permanent press and off in the dryer it goes.

I machine wash mine, cold water, gentle cycle, & Downy softener. Then, I machine dry on low, & have never had a problem. I prefer most all my fabric this way too, & it does fine also. When I give someone one of my quilts, I tell them to do it the same way, & try to put it on my quilt label, if I remember. I don't wash quilts often, DH has a super fine sense of smell, so he lets me know if it's time for the gentle cycle, & no, no shrinkage from the dryer either, since the fabric was prewashed to begin with...

Most of my quilts are wall quilts. I have prewashed everything to prevent shrinking. I usually give a jar of quilt soap to the recipient with the advice to wash on gentle and dry on gentle, but use the quilt soap. Quilt soap has no "brighteners or bleach" or perfumes. It's simply Sodium Laurel Sulfate. It can be purchased in bulk at the large animal feed stores under "horse shampoo". Mine is called "Animal Legends". It's the same as Orvus quilt soap, only much cheaper. And it is really sudsy-a little bit goes a long ways. Avoid laundry detergents or Woolite. These have unwanted ingredients. BTW I learned of this from Harriet Hargrave, the guru of quilt fabrics, quilting, etc. Fabulous teacher.

Cynthia

Washing gives them that loved look. Mending just helps keep it looking good if small things occur. I suggest both.:)

I have a front load washer and do the same.

I wask mine and put them in the dryer with tennis balls.

I go to the laundromat so I can use a washer larger than mine so it gets well-rinsed after the wash. I dry it in the dryer. I usually wash mine twice a year (the bed quilts) and more often for lap quilts that get handled a lot.

I wash mine in cold water on gentle cycle then air dry in drier

i wash mine on gentle and dry in the dryer tumble

I wash them all on a normal cycle and either line dry(weather permitting) or just throw in the dryer. All the quilts in my house get used as bedding, tents...ect....so they are washed quite frequently too.

Can't outdoor dry due to allergies also. Mine go in the regular washer, cold, gentle cycle. Dry on low. Exception taken last week when my son threw up all over his quilt during the night. Washed in HOT, double-extra rinse, dried regular. Came out perfectly.

Yuppers, I do the same too..

I wash mine and dry them after they are completed. I too love the wrinkly look.

Kyia

I rotate my quilts on the bed monthly. Cats sleep with us so I usually wash my quilts monthly. All my fabric has been prewashed so I don't worry about fading or shrinking. I just throw them in the washer and dryer. As someone else said if they fall apart it's a good excuse to make another one, like I need any excuses. :lol: