wraez

Recently read somewhere to use 1 cup white vinegar and 1 cup baking soda in laundry tub to soak one hour to remove cat/dog urine and think it might work in your case too.

vinegar is a natural disinfectant.

then rinse and launder as usual.

Let us know how it goes

collady

Add Lysol liquid to the wash.

Nana Coop

Just regular washing and drying will do the trick. The friction in washing agitator kills germs. I would run the rinse cycle twice. I wouldn't put it in the dryer. I would air dry (out of the sun). Don't go overboard on chemicals. Simple detergent will handle the germs.

MargeD

I would wash it in warm water at least with Tide, and then in the dryer. To help prevent the fabric from fraying, cut off a corner of all 4 corners of the fabric. For whatever reason it seems to work well and you won't get all those threads, just stip a triangle off each corner. For darker colors, I would add vinegar to the water to set the colors.

romanojg

Add about a cup of vinegar to the water to help remove smells from fabric. Since you want to wash in mildly to reduce fraying try soaking it for a short time and then finish the wash

SheriR

Time to update.

First thanks to everyone for all your advice and imput. I aquired this fabric from my 88 yrold. mother-in-law's stash of 50 years or more. The plan is to make a quilt for each of her 29 grandchildren, "like grandma would make." They will be from grandma.

This material was stored in her basement in her "fabric closet." As I was packing it up, I noticed mouse droppings on the shelves. No nests, no large amounts. But just the fact that there were SOME dropping...I decided to wash all the fabric before I use it. After all your help earlier in this post. I went to Walmart.

I am washing it with laundry soap and OxiClean and Downy. (I'll stop using fabric softener as per suggestion.)I am drying it on lines outside at our new house I strung on a gazebo. It's been 110 degrees outside so that, I feel is also adding to the cleansing of the fabric. Then I am folding and stacking it in piles according to color in the cupbords of my office/sewing room.

chuckbere15

To prevent fraying, straight stitch on the ends. It works.

jeanneb52

serge or zigzag the edges and then wash the heck out of them...I would use a good detergenbt and borax...Good luck

jeanneb52

serge or zigzag the edges and then wash the heck out of them...I would use a good detergenbt and borax...Good luck

Nana Coop

Good to know this info. Natural is best!!! We're killing ourselves with too many chemicals.