Tub or Washing Machine?
 

Stupid question time...

I've got an XL capacity washer, but there's no WAY that any of my 3 quilts would seem to wash 'properly' and get enough agitation to remove glue/basting spray, etc while NOT getting ruined by the spiral-agitator-thingy...let alone whether they would even FIT in there. Would they?

Needless to say, I haven't washed ANY of my first quilts other than pre-washing the fabric before starting.

Do you really wash in the WM, or do you toss it in the tub? Or take it to a commercial laundry where they have a BIG washer?

I have xl capacity also, and I wash my quilts without problems; have done K. fluffy comforters. I do hang them outside to dry tho. I have a quite heavy K quilt that I'm getting worried about--probably go to laundrymat or send to laundry....heck, maybe I'll give that one a go. So far, Q. is the largest I've done, other than the comforters. Just have to fill to max, work it all down into water and ''let 'er go". I spin twice. I am not afraid.

I washed my hand quilted queen size in my regular washer with an agitator. Then put it in the dryer and had no problems with it. That's the one the grandson said "wow, grandma, this one looks like it is store bought!" He meant it as a compliment and I took it that way!!

I have an HE washer now, but had one with an agitator before. I have used both of them for washing quilts. I was with warm or cool water (depends on the quilt and what I used in the process) on gentle then tumble dry low. If I used basting spray (don't anymore since I have a longarm now) I would use warm water. Never had a "stitch" of trouble.

I've washed my big (queen or larger) in my XL machine, and do fine. I dry in the dryer, too. :)

I know I've washed king size before. but all I mainly want to do is soak them, spin out and soak again. I may agitate a couple of minutes and then spin out. dryer is all right but I take them out and fluff and put back in a few times.

I do like nativetexan. I have a super capicity w/agitator. I push the quilts up and down several times with my hand or a piece of broom handle. I do this while it is in wash water and rinse water. I guess it makes me feel like it is gatting washed and rinsed better. I have washed all of mine like this. I dry in the dryer on low heat, then spread on my glass topped dining table and leave it over night.

I have an extra large front loader. I personally don't think there's enough water to do a quilt so I take it to a laudromat & use one of the large washers. I had no problem with my old top loader, gentle agitation and stand right there to redistribute the load as it spins.

I've washed and dried my quilts had home with no problem. My largest is queen size, no problem with it.

I've done a king-sized quilt in my top-loader washer without problem. I also used the dryer, again, without problem.

i toss my quilts into my washing machine then into the dryer all the time---if the quilt is too big for my washer (thick king) i take it to the laundry mat & use a big washer- but my queens wash up just fine.
you should never hang a wet quilt- the weight of the quilt can cause the threads/quilting to break- if you do not want to dry your quilt in the dryer it is recommended to lay them flat- in the summer time i take a king sized sheet outside & lay it out, then place my wet quilt on top of the sheet, then place a second sheet over the top (to protect it from birds/critters)...they dry quite nicely this way- you may need to turn it over at some point. I've also spread them out across my large hammock & again covered with a sheet to protect from birds....but most of the time i simply toss them into the dryer...i make them to last & hold up to use so expect them to be wash/dryable. even my wool quilts are washed & dried.

I stuff them in one way or the other! About halfway through I'll go rearrange if I remember. I then haul them out and stuff them in the dryer. So far, no problems. I do think I may need help when I get older to get wet quilts out of the washer. I have to stand on my head and they are HEAVY!

I wash my king sized quilt in my front loader and dry it in the dryer -- not a problem.

Thanks; most of what you've all expressed is what I *assumed* would be the case:

• unbalanced load
• feeling like it needs to be hand-agitated in addition to the machine's capabilities (too big, perhaps and just not really getting the sense that it's moving enough in there)
• weight of the (wet) quilt.

I know that even my regular laundry I sometimes have issues getting the items out (like large towels) because that stoopid agitator takes up SO much space in there, and I'm always whacking my knuckles on it (I have issues). So knowing that I have to wrestle NORMAL laundry out of it, I'll be more careful with the quilt so I don't tear it in the process of removing it from the washer.