Washing a Rag Quilt
 

Folks say "Do NOT wash your rag quilt in your own machine. Go to a laundromat". My question is, why? What will happen to my washing machine?

You're likely to clog it up with a whoooooooooooole lotta lint.

I've Just finished a Rag quilt!! and washed IT AT Home 6x's What a JOB!! Yes it has alot of FluFF!! But if you make sure to clean the filter EVERY time should be fine!!
PS: I have a New Front load ' SamSung' stack set.

Oh, do you mean that the water hoses will get clogged up?

Whoa - I didn't realize I would have to wash it more than once! What is the purpose of that? (Can you tell this is my first one)?

It will shed for a several washings. I have done up to a twin quilt in my home washer without any problem. I check the lint trap each time i wash. when it is ready to go in the dryer I stop the dryer every little bit and clean the filter.

I always go to the laundramat for the very first washing since it tends to be the lintiest. We live in the country with everything draining into our septic system and I hate to have it pumped any more often than needed. Every time I wash my rag blankets during their lifetime, I do it here at home but I still stop a couple times mid-cycle and clean out the lint traps. I do alot of rag blankets...they are my favorites!

I washed my daughter's rag quilt the first couple of times in a fine mesh laundry bag. Very little lint in washer. Lots of lint on quilt which we shook out (outside). After drying it (out of bag) I used lint-lizard to clean dryer & found small amount of lint.

I think if you have a septic system, people are concerned that might be a problem, but I always wash my rag quilts in my machine. I would feel really bad if I messed up a machine at the laundromat. I have never had a problem. My machine drains out into our back yard. This method is called gray water because I believe laundry detergent is not harmful to the environment. I checked the pipe after my first rag quilt and there were a lot of threads, but it didn't clog the pipe. It is certainly more convenient to wash them at home.

I have a friend that is on septic, not sewer, and she spritzes the seams of the rag quilt heavily (instead of washing), then dries the quilt in her dryer. She does this multiple times until the quilt is raggy enough for her. Easier to clean the lint trap on the dryer than get the septic tank pumped.

We no longer have a laundromat...so I use my old top-loader. I check the lint filter frequently and then I line dry and shake outside....if I finish in the dryer I also check the filter often. These quilts tend to shed a lot during the first few washes. Oh, and I also go over the seams with the hand held crevice tool on my Dyson (amazing how much lint that can pick up).

do the large machine at the laundry mat for the max amount of time...it is so much easier!

I washed mine at home. There was a lot of lent!

The laundromats are said to have have bigger lint traps on their equipment than the home machines, so can accommodate the excess lint. I usually wash rag quilts at the laundromat for the first washing, then at home for any additional washing, but have washed at home the first time a couple of times. Just be sure to clean the lint trap several times as you go.

Thanks EVERYONE! I had noooooo idea. I have two of four rag quilts completely sewn and will definitely take them to the laundromat. This site is so very helpful.

I am also on a septic system for years and years and use a lint trap on the drain hose of my washer. Cheap way to ward off problems. I wash rag quilts all the time and never had an issue. You just have to make sure to keep an eye on it and change it when it's full.

I used to buy them at Home Depot but they quit selling them so I buy them online now.

http://www.bicwarehouse.com/lint-tra...filiate&aff=cj

I wash mine a couple of times in the wringer washer. That really shows you how much lint you get. We pump it out through a strainer. I stopped my drier every 5 to 10 minutes the first time through. I took one to town but I think I will stick with the wringer now.

[QUOTE=MaryLane;5250342]I wash mine a couple of times in the wringer washer. That really shows you how much lint you get. Lucky you! Having a wringer washer. I didn't know my front load washer had a filter,but I found out YES it did when my pump stopped working and it wouldn't drain. I had lint so thick it had totally clogged the filter which starved the pump and that was that. I replaced the pump/filter assembly and now I check the filter all the time

Okay, okay, so now I have to go check to see if I have a lint trap on my new washer...obviously, I never checked on my old one either - LOL

I am lucky! I grew up using junk wringers. My step father was a junk dealer. This one is a super nice one I bought off of a lady's family 25 years ago when they put her in a nursing home. I had never seen one this nice and I still use it occasionally. Much easier to do in my basement with running water and a double tub laundry sink than it was when we were carrying all the water in and out!

I made my first flannel rag baby quilt last week. I wish I had listened to my friend, when she told me to take it to a laundrymat.... well, to make a long story short, it washed ok, but it broke my dryer. I've never seen so much lint in my life. My husband took the dryer apart and we are waiting on parts to arrive. I hope he can repair it. The quilt is cute and fluffy but still has lots of lint on it, so it will have to be washed again AT THE LAUNDRYMAT. In the meantime, it's raining here in FL from storm "Beryl" and dirty clothes are piling up.

I never, not ever, give a flannel quilt without washing it several times at the laundromat. If I have the time (rarely) I wash it a third time. I even put a note with the gift and tell that it might be wise to wash in a laundromat at lease once more and besides I use Warm and Natural and that large quilt is heavy when washed. I do have flannel ones that I wash in my machine, top loading gentle cycle and there is still some lint after 10 years. Hubby loved the flannel in winter and these are not rag ones.