For me - soaking in hot water - don't cringe - it usually doesn't do any damage to the fabric - but it WILL shrink it if it's going to - is worth the effort.
Sometimes the soaking and washing - I do wash on a gentle cycle in warm water with only a tiny bit of detergent - makes the fabric much nicer to handle - in my opinion - and if it turns out to be a piece of (very inferior quality fabric) - it's a good time to find out - and toss it.
I won't pass on totally icky, bad behaving fabric. If it's a recent purchase and I still have the receipt, I will try to return it. Sometimes it works - sometimes it doesn't.
Some quilters seem to be comfortable with cutting the fabric straight from the store. I am so not.
No sense in trying save a dime and losing five dollars.