Denise in Florida Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I have an old quilt my grandmother made in 1941, unknown batting, cotton backing, and mixed top made from scraps that feel like wool. It is very thick and solid, not fluffy. The edges of the piecing are embroidered, the layers are knotted not quilted. My daughter loves this quilt and sleeps with it. It really needs to be cleaned. Ideas I have considered are: Throw it in the washer and hope for the best. Hang it outdoors and whack it with a stick. Hang it outdoors and rinse it with water but no agitation or wringing. Least favorite but most likely. Dry clean it. - Daughter reacts to some chemicals, how do I get the chemicals out? Thank you in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Wash it on delicate, spin and hang to dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaNY Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I'm not sure I'd wash it on delicate. Do you have a "hand wash" option on your machine? Any agitation can cause wool to felt. It is okay to spin it, but I'd be leery of washing it in a machine. There are some dry cleaners out there who don't use harsh chemicals. It's more expensive, but worth checking out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 There are "green" drycleaners. That would be my first try. Otherwise, I'd get some Eucalan wool/delicate wash...and put it either on handwash in the washing machine...or take it into the cleaners and ask them for advice. If you have to wash it...you could do that in the bathtub.... Like the person above suggested...if you wash it in the bathtub...then take it to the washing machine to spin on delicate....and put out on something to dry...with a fan on it. To be honest, if I washed it at home, I would be careful that the colors wouldn't end up running...I'm a big vinegar person.... and the Eucalan is great because it's for delicates or wools...and you don't have to be careful to get it all out... Carrie:-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4him Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Is it soiled or you just feel it needs to freshened up? Personally, I would NOT dry clean it. If it is soiled, I would wash it in gentlest cycle you have on your machine, in COLD and line dry it. If you just feel it needs to be freshened, I would put it in the dryer on gentle, air fluff with a cool damp cloth wrung out very well. Personally, I would guess that it has a wool batt in it. If it is died fairly close it should be ok, if it is not a close tie..... Another thing you could possibly do with it being tied is to take the batt out of it and just wash the cover, gently again of course. Just what I would do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Darn, I posted twice... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I have an old quilt my grandmother made in 1941, unknown batting, cotton backing, and mixed top made from scraps that feel like wool. It is very thick and solid, not fluffy. Given that it is "solid, not fluffy" and was made in 1941 when no one could afford to take all their blankets to the dry cleaners, I suspect it is already as felted as it's going to get and has been washed before. I do wash my wool blankets in the washer (and wool sweaters, socks, hats, mittens, etc). I have a front loader with a wool cycle. Before I got the front loader, I filled the (top-loader) washer with warm water, added the detergent, put the blanket in, agitated a few times, then spun. One of the nice things about top-loaders is that you can manually control the cycle so much easier! Eucalan is nice and smells good, but I usually don't have any around, so I use unscented All. They have never felted and it's a lot easier than carrying a dripping blanket from the bathtub. I have four of them hanging outside right now, since it's finally getting warm. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Rittenhouse Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Don't put that thing in the WASH! Go to your local quilting store and purchase a small amount of special soap made for washing quilts. It goes by several names but it is very mild, very very gentle and rinses beatifully. Gather a large tub, your soap, and the quilt and get thee to the bathtub. Fill the tub with cool water and submerge the quilt. Gently press and squeaze the quilt with your hands. Lift the quilt out of the water and into the extra large tub. Drain the water in the bath. You've removed alot of the dirt without introducing the soap. Repeat if really necessary. Now fill the bathtub again with cool water add as little of the quilt washing soap as you think you can get away with. Swish the soap to distribute in the wash water evenly. Submerge the wet quilt again. Press and squeaze. Lift the quilt and drain. Repeat with clean water 2 or 3 times to rinse. If the quilt is really wool, it will smell like....wet wool....like a wet dog without the doggy smell. You don't want to hang a wool quilt to dry, it wil stretch. Lay the quilt out flat on a clean picnic table or on a clean tarp on the grass. Flip the quilt as it dries. Once it is just damp you can hang it on the line to finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denise in Florida Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 thank you for all the responses! I have a much better idea of where to start now. :001_smile: I will probably look for a green dry cleaner, or try washing it in the tub. I have a front loading washer or I would have tried the delicate cycle. At this point the quilt is dirty and showing some wear so I'll try the lightest steps first. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Don't put that thing in the WASH!Go to your local quilting store and purchase a small amount of special soap made for washing quilts. It goes by several names but it is very mild, very very gentle and rinses beatifully. Gather a large tub, your soap, and the quilt and get thee to the bathtub. Fill the tub with cool water and submerge the quilt. Gently press and squeaze the quilt with your hands. Lift the quilt out of the water and into the extra large tub. Drain the water in the bath. You've removed alot of the dirt without introducing the soap. Repeat if really necessary. Now fill the bathtub again with cool water add as little of the quilt washing soap as you think you can get away with. Swish the soap to distribute in the wash water evenly. Submerge the wet quilt again. Press and squeaze. Lift the quilt and drain. Repeat with clean water 2 or 3 times to rinse. If the quilt is really wool, it will smell like....wet wool....like a wet dog without the doggy smell. You don't want to hang a wool quilt to dry, it wil stretch. Lay the quilt out flat on a clean picnic table or on a clean tarp on the grass. Flip the quilt as it dries. Once it is just damp you can hang it on the line to finish. What she said. In my experience, wet fabric tears easily. Get extra hands to help you lift and spread out the quilt to dry. A trampoline is a great place to lay out a wet quilt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I do wash my wool blankets in the washer (and wool sweaters, socks, hats, mittens, etc). I have a front loader with a wool cycle. Before I got the front loader, I filled the (top-loader) washer with warm water, added the detergent, put the blanket in, agitated a few times, then spun. One of the nice things about top-loaders is that you can manually control the cycle so much easier! Eucalan is nice and smells good, but I usually don't have any around, so I use unscented All. They have never felted and it's a lot easier than carrying a dripping blanket from the bathtub. Yep, me too. I wash the wool with reckless abandon. :D Really, I think dry cleaning ruins wool. It makes is all brittle and ... brrrrrrr. Not good. If it's a tied quilt, though, I'd pin it to keep the wet batting from shifting inside. And I would definitely support the whole thing if you're carrying it around wet. (Like fold it up, then drape it across your arms) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Do you have a museum that has a fabric specialist? You can take it to them and ask their suggestion. Absolutely use ;large safety pins to stabilize the two layers and batting. It will make it less likely to tear one layer or the other. If no, then I would lay it in the bath and use a hand sprayer, rinse, rinse, rinse...... until the water runs clear. Then very light soap, then rinse, rinse, rinse... method. If you fold it in half, you can minimize the twisting by rolling it back and forth in the tub. Watch how stable the fabric is, if it starts to stretch you may need to be more gentle or if it seems to be holding up okay, a quick spin in a front loader may be useful as a last wringing. Otherwise pressing the fabric with your hands may be the best way to release the water. I have several large cooling racks for cookies, if you do, you may use those under the quilt to let it drip for a while before you move it. If you want to know if it is wool, dip just a corner in water and smell. Wool has a fairly distinct odor to it wet. You will also be able to see how much water it is going to absorb and if it will twist on you. To dry, you can lay it on a clean trampoline, or on a sheet on the grass (not on dirt obviously). If no grass a clean picnic table, or out door chairs sitting with their backs facing each other to lay it over the top of them, may work. Wait until a stretch of sunny days is expected, because it may take a while to dry, depending on how thick the felt is. I would probably cover the blanket with a thin sheet weighted down with rocks if you are near trees...you wouldn't want a bird 'blessing' your clean blanket. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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