How to Wash and Care for Vintage Quilts

How to Wash a Vintage Quilt

1. Freshen the Vintage Quilt

   Begin by airing your quilt outside on a sunny day to restore freshness. To remove dust, vacuum with a nylon stocking over the end of the vacuum hose, holding the tube slightly above the top of the quilt. If the quilt has beading, embroidery, or appliqués, skip vacuuming or you could damage the work.

   Tip

   Your vintage quilt may only need freshening and not washing. If so, you can skip the wash altogether and vacuum and air the quilt outdoors.

2. Test Colorfastness

   Check the fabric and any stitching for colorfastness. Testing is simple: Wet a cotton swab with cold water and gently rub it over different colors or materials in the quilt. If there's color transfer to the swab, don’t wash the quilt as it will result in discoloration and fading.

3. Fill the Washing Basin

   Fill a deep laundry sink or bathtub with cold water. Be sure the sink or tub is spotless and has no residue from cleaning agents that could damage the quilt.

4. Add Detergent

   Use a mild liquid detergent free of dyes and perfumes. Liquid detergent disperses in the water, leaving less residue on the fabric than powdered detergent. Add 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar to the water to both brighten colors and soften the quilt.

5. Wash by Hand

   Place the quilt in the water and ensure that the entire quilt gets wet. Gently swish the quilt around in the water. Allow it to remain in the water for about 10 minutes.

6. Rinse the Quilt

   Drain the wash water, and fill the tub again with fresh water. Repeat draining and refilling the basin until the water and quilt are soap-free.

7. Remove From Water

   Use a white sheet to create a sling to lift the quilt from the tub. Allow the excess water to drain. Place the quilt on a bed of heavy towels on the floor with a plastic tarp underneath to prevent damage to floors. Remember to handle wet quilts gently—pulling can break seams and cause damage. 

8. Dry the Quilt

   Cover the quilt with more dry towels, and roll it up to absorb water. Move the quilt to a drying rack or another bed of dry towels, spread it out flat, and allow it to dry. Placing a fan in the room will help speed up the process.
   

Treating Stains on a Vintage Quilt

If washing the quilt didn't remove all the stains, try removing spots by mixing oxygen bleach and cold water. Oxygen bleach is safe to use on cotton fabrics, but don't use it for silk or wool quilts.

1. Follow the package directions for how much product you should add per gallon of water.
2. Completely submerge the quilt in the solution, and allow it to soak for at least four hours.
3. If the stain is gone, rinse thoroughly, and dry.
4. If it remains, mix a new solution, and repeat. It may take several soakings to remove the stains, but they should eventually come out. 

How Often to Wash a Vintage Quilt

Washing a delicate vintage quilt could damage or destroy its older fabrics. To be safe, only clean your quilt when necessary. If you feel uncomfortable washing your quilt, search for a qualified quilt conservation or restoration service. Based on the quilt's monetary and personal value, you may decide to leave it as-is rather than risk destroying it. When washing, set aside at least two days for the handwashing and drying process. Once cleaned, allow for additional drying time before storing your quilt.

Vintage Quilt Care and Repairs

Before you clean an old quilt, repair any rips or tears in the fabric, which preserves the quilt's life. Spread out the quilt and examine it carefully for any worn patches, rips, or stains.

Repair the quilt if you sew well using small stitches and matching thread color. There are various sources of vintage or period-specific fabrics to patch your quilt, or reproduction vintage fabrics can be used to replace damaged areas.

Find a reputable quilt repair or restoration service if you don't feel confident tackling the repairs. They can restore your quilt or tell you if the damage is beyond repair.

Storing a Vintage Quilt

One of the best ways to store any quilt is to place it flat on an extra bed and cover it with a clean sheet or bedspread. Keeping the quilt flat will eliminate creases and wear on folds. There are other ways to store the quilt if you can't flatten it out on a bed.

Don't store your vintage quilt in an attic or basement, where moisture and temperature levels fluctuate. Additionally, don't store an antique quilt in a cedar chest. If the quilt touches raw wood, the acid in the wood can eat away at the quilt. Here's what you can do instead:

• Archival box: Store the quilt inside a box made for archival storage. This type of box is usually made of safe acid-free paper.
• Fabric bag: Roll the quilt around an acid-free tube, and slip it into a cotton or muslin bag.
• Plastic bin: If you're concerned about the box getting crushed, choose a plastic bin as a last resort—because the quilt needs to breathe. The plastic container must be cast polypropylene to be safe for your keepsakes. Look for the number five within the recycling triangle (usually located under the bottom of the bin) or the letters “PP” to ensure you have the correct box.
• Acid-free tissue paper: Before you fold and store a quilt, use acid-free tissue paper as padding to prevent sharp creases.

Additional Tips for Washing a Vintage Quilt

• If you have hard water or iron bacteria, use distilled water to wash a quilt. You don’t want to risk having minerals stain the fabric.
• You can dry a quilt outside by placing a sheet on the ground and then spreading the quilt on top. Cover the quilt with another clean sheet, and allow it to dry. Don't dry in direct sunlight without the top sheet in place or fading can occur.
• Never suspend a wet quilt from a clothesline, as it creates too much stress on seams and may cause tearing or displaced batting.