I have a Maytag front loading washer/dryer set so its super-gentle and large-capacity. I'd never ever put a quilt in a regular top-loader. I use Orvus soap and lukewarm water. I put it on super-gentle air-fluff in the dryer till the quilt is halfway dry, then lay it on a sheet and block it.
And I never iron a quilt.

If the quilt is a raggy, I ALWAYS take it to a laundromat ...and then I clean the mess out of their machines!

I do not prewash.

1. If you like the wrinkled up anique looking quilts as I do, don't prewash fabrics and use Warm and Natural batting.

2. Wash in hot water with dye catcher.

3. Dry in dryer on reg cycle.

This will shrink the fabric and give it that lovely old look that I particularly like.

So, it really depends on the look you want.

What is a color catcher?

I prewash all my fabric and when a quilt needs to be washed I use shampoo I red this in a quilting book.I do not let the machine agitate but let it soak for 15 min and then send it into the rinse again let it soak 5 min and spin out I then place it on my clothes line lining side out. None of this was my idea but it certainly has preserved my king sized quilts. I do think that the agitation is hard on the fabric and quilting.

I do not wash anything bigger than a lap quilt in a regular washing machine. Before I got a front loader, I went to the laundromat and used the large, commercial washer because the action of the agitator in a top loader is very stressful for the seams. I also prefer to dry them in a dryer because unless you have room to lay it flat, the weight of the quilt will cause distortion and stress the seams.
The color catcher is a laundry product that looks like a dryer sheet, but you put it in the washer to catch the dye that runs. They are sold by the laundry detergent at our local grocery store.

I don't pre-wash fabric, so will sometimes use a Color Catcher.
I take quilts to the local laundromat, wash in the largest machine they have, use whatever detergent I have with me, dry in their dryers on regular heat.
Never iron a quilt.

Thank you
Barb

I love the look of my quilts when they come from the wash and dryer. I keep a bottle of "baby laundry detergent" in my laundry area. I figure if it is gentle enough for a baby, it will be gentle enough for anyone. I have just washed two quilts for the second time in two days. Had a little bed wetter overnight. That's ok. He was worth the work!

Just did a heart breaking job. Had ordered six pieces of Bird Song GORGEOUS fabric. Our very sweet and helpful mail carrier had placed the shipping box FULL of fabric on a block near our garage, since it wouldn't fit my mail box. Had a huge storm, and didn't find it until the next morning. Every piece was totally soaked! I washed with color catchers, and just starched and ironed about 10/12 total yards of it. Two pieces still had running colors. So sad, but still can use most of it.