The quilt is among the most practical and versatile bedding pieces. You can use it as a decorative layer on the bed, a warm blanket, a sofa mat, a tablecloth, and more.
You can even take it outdoors to lay or sit comfortably during camping and picnics. Therefore, you need to treat and wash your quilts, especially cotton quilts, with great care.
How Often do You Need to Wash a Quilt?
According to the experts, it’s better to wash a quilt as seldom as possible. It’s because the quilts are very delicate, and every time you wash them, they add slight wear and tear.
So, do not wash it as frequently as your clothes since it may cause severe damage to them. Instead, only wash your quilt once a year or when necessary, like when exposed to dirt or accidents.
How to Wash a Quilt in Three Steps
1. Inspect Your Quilt
Before washing the quilt, check the product label and find the laundry instructions first. It will tell you the proper water temperature as well as what you should and shouldn’t do in washing and drying.
Next, check for any embellishments. If the quilt does come with some embellishments, it’s best to hand wash it or put it into a mesh bag before you throw it in the washing machine.
Then check if there are any stretched seams, loose threads, or ripped parts. If yes, repair them first before washing.
Lastly, do a colorfast test for those with vivid colors. Dip a white cotton fabric in hot water, place it on a small, highly saturated quilt area, and rub it. If the color comes off, put a color catcher in the washer.
If you are not that patient about going through all the inspections, especially for the last two steps, you may choose a high-quality cotton quilt. GeeComfy’s reversible organic cotton quilts are featured with sturdy cloud-construction stitches to ensure they don’t deform, shrink, wear and tear in use, and stay vibrant after washes.
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2. Wash Your Quilt
You can either machine wash or hand wash your quilt. Just choose what’s most convenient for you or follow the exact care instructions on the label. Here we provide the steps for these two washing methods.
Machine Wash
- Cold Water & Appropriate Detergent. Fill the washing machine with cold water and add the right amount of colorless and unscented detergent that is safe to use on quilts. Let the detergent completely dissolve in the water.
- Soak & Gentle Cycle. Put the quilt in the washer and stir it gently in the water. Make sure it’s entirely soaked and leave it for 15 minutes. Then set the machine to a gentle cycle.
- Wash Again & Vinegar. When the first washing finishes, refill cold water to wash the quilt a second time without any detergent.
Add half a cup of distilled white vinegar this time to ensure that no detergent residue remains and keep the quilt’s color bright.
- Remove Any Excess Water. Transfer the quilt carefully from the washing machine to the drying location and gently put it on a clean, white fabric to absorb water. Remember to support the weight during transport.
Hand Wash
- Clean the Tub. The best place to handwash a quilt is a tub in the bathroom due to its size and weight. So, prepare a clean tub without any stains or chemical residues.
- Cold Water & Appropriate Detergent. Fill the tub halfway with cold water and let the right amount of appropriate detergent dissolve in the water. You can put a color catcher in the tup if needed.
- Soak & Gentle Swish. Gently put the quilt into the tub and stir it in the water to ensure it’s completely submerged.
Add more water and detergent if needed. Leave the quilt soaked for around 15 minutes, swishing it gently once in a while during this period.
- Rinse & Vinegar. Drain the soapy water and refill the tub with fresh cold water. Agitate the quilt gently to help remove the dirt and detergent.
Repeat these two steps until the water is clean and fresh. When the water is clean, add half a cup of distilled white vinegar to help keep the quilt vivid, soft and pliable when it dries.
- Remove Excess Water. Drain the tub thoroughly and press the quilt with your hands to remove any excess water. Then move it to the drying location by holding it carefully.
3. Dry
After removing all the excess water, it’s time to dry the quilt. Here are two drying options for you.
- Air Drying. As the quilt is delicate, it’s best to air dry your quilt without direct sunlight. You can lay it on a flat rack, a clean mattress pad towel, or a bedsheet, and then put another clean fabric on the wet quilt.
Turn over the quilt when the side is completely dry. You may also hang it on a clothesline, but it’s not highly recommended because it may cause the stitches to pop or loosen.
- Dryer. You can also use a dryer, which usually works for brand new, well-made, high-quality quilts. Put your quilt in the tumble dryer and set it to a low heat setting.
It’s ok if you’d like to dry it completely in the dryer, while it’s recommended to dry it partially and then continue with the air-drying method.
How to Maintain a Quilt
1. Clean a Quilt Without Washing it
If your quilt gets minor stains and dirt on parts of it, try spot clean with white distilled vinegar or a quilt soap.
You may also choose a vacuum or a lint roller to treat a quilt that is delicate, which will help extend the quilt’s life.
2. Freshen up Quilts
Remember to air out the quilt regularly to keep it fresh. To freshen up your quilt stored in the closet, you can place it in a sealed bag with a piece of fresh soap or any safe fabric freshener for a day or two.
3. How to Store Quilts
Clean the quilt before storing it. Store it by placing it in a fabric bag like a cotton or muslin bag and put it in a dry, dark place.
You need to take it out and refold it regularly to avoid permanent crease. When you’d like to use it again, air out it in the dryer on a tumble low setting or outside.
