Have you ever found an old quilt at your grandma’s house or at a garage sale and wondered how to clean it without ruining it?
In this article we will learn about “How do you clean an old quilt?”
Hand Washing: The Safest Method
An antique quilt fabric is delicate and can get even more messed up if it’s already looking worn out, so the best thing to do is to throw the entire quilt in the tub and add some cleaning agent to it.
Let it soak for at least 12 minutes until fully submerged in the water, then rinse thoroughly.
Next, pour out the soapy water, fill the tub with fresh water, and do it all over again until all the soap is gone. You can also use white vinegar to make the process work fast.
Machine Washing: Use Caution!
You could also try tossing your old quilt in the washing machine with some liquid detergent, but be careful – its delicate cycle might worsen if the fabric is already weak.
The washer might be too harsh, further damaging the quilt, and it will not even remove those tough stains.
Don’t overdo it with the softener. It has oil and water, which could just make more dust and dirt stick to the quilt.
Next Step: Drying Your Quilt Properly
You can toss your quilt in the dryer, but that isn’t ideal. The heat and agitation from the dryer may disintegrate the fibers of the fabric.
So, instead of taking it for dry cleaning, It’s best to hang the quilt top outside and let it dry in the sun. If you can’t do that, just let it air dry on a chair indoors.
Removing stains From a Vintage Quilt Top
If washing the quilt with your hand doesn’t work, you can rinse it using a stain removal formula. Either spray the quilt or give it an OxiClean soak. Use it only on cotton fabric, and avoid using it on quilts made of fabrics like silk and wool.
If you are confused, you can check it by soaking an inconspicuous area to get an idea of whether it will suit the fabric.
Storing a Vintage Quilt
After drying a quilt, the next step is to store it so that the next time you take it out, you can use it.
You can cover the quilt either with a white sheet or in a plastic bag so it is safe to use the next time you take it out. Then, store it in an easy-to-access location, as the quilt is super heavy.
Handling Color Bleeding
In some cases, washing the quilt may cause its colors to fade away. You can use color catchers to prevent the colors from lightening up. Just throw some into the bathtub, and they will soak up colors that may leak from your quilt.
If your white quilt looks dingy, try giving it a retro clean. Don’t use it on colored quilts; it could mess up the colors.
You can also check the quilt fabric before washing it. Dampen the fabric and rub a cotton swab on it. If the color transfers, it is more likely to bleed.
Lets Wrap it up
To clean vintage quilt, we need to know the fabric and embroidery to determine whether it is suitable for hand washing or machine washing to avoid ruining the batting and detailing of the quilt.
