I always add a cup of vinegar to the water when washing my fabric to set the colors. Should I also use laundry detergent as well. I wash all my fabric in cold water, and I separate all the colors before I wash them. Am I doing the right thing?

Thanks,

Mary (stitchengramie)

If you are just prewashing to set the dyes and shrink the fabric, that should be fine. If you are wanting to get rid of the chemicals/sizing, then I would probably add laundry detergent. :D:D:D

I rarely wash..except red. Use vinigar also.

The vinegar is sufficent to remove the sizing and/or treatments. The vinegar is actually more effective for this purpose than laundry detergent.
I know many believe it but vinegar does not set dyes on cotton fabrics . It would only work if acid type dyes are used . Acid type dyes are never used on 100 percent cotton fabrics.
The benefits you are getting is actually from the washing and drying to remove the excess dye.

I wash in the machine on cold with detergent.

I generally run mine through the hand-wash cycle (faster) with plain cold water and dry on high. If it's a deep color I check first under the tap if it runs, then I wash that fabric separately with detergent.

Interesting how we all have different opinions on how to wash. I wash on hot with detergent. I figure I will get maximum shrinkage and fading that way, and I would rather that it happen before I use the fabric in a quilt.

That's what I do. I also dry on hot.BrendaK

vinegar does not set the color in quilting cottons-
it will however freshen the water-
vinegar only works with acid dyes----which are used for wools- and other fibers-besides cottons
i could never understand why anyone would wash fabric- quilt or otherwise- without detergent---seems like a waste of time and water to me-
i always use detergent- i want to wash away any sizing/chemicals/oils in the fabrics
i do not use fabric softener when pre-washing fabrics- mainly because it can effect how fusables or other treatments you might use while making your quilt- i do however use fab softener when i wash the completed quilt.
but unless you need to adjust the ph of your water- you are just wasting vinegar.

Same here. Or at least warm water.