Washing a Vintage Quilt

I posted a picture of this quilt a few days ago.

It’s really dirty……some of the dirt may be stains that won’t come out. I decided I needed to try before this one gets put away. I am not claiming to be an expert, but I have had a lot of experience washing old quilts, and they usually come out so much better.

I use a cleaner like Retro Clean to soak the quilt in. I never use the washing machine as I have been told the agitation of the machine can tear up the quilt. I mix the retro clean in cold water in my bathtub. I put a clean sheet in the bottom and then put the quilt on top of that. Make sure it is completely submerged in the cold water. The sheet is used to support the quilt when lifting it from the tub. The weight of a wet quilt can definitely pop the quilting stitches, and I sure don’t want that to happen. I swish the quilt around a little to get the detergent solution into the fibers, and I will let it soak for a few hours. After soaking I drain the water and then fill the tub up with rinse water and swish it around some more. I repeat the rinse “cycle” until I am sure all the detergent is out of the fibers. I try to lay the quilt outside in the sun to dry. Lay it in a sheet and cover it with another sheet to prevent fading. If there were any odors in the quilt, the combination of clean water and fresh air will generally eliminate them. 

So in the meantime, I had also washed and dried sheets and remade the bed with a fresh vintage quilt.

The lighting in the bedroom makes it look a little peachy, but it is actually pink. It is the little things make me happy.