How to Wash Quilts Containing Wool Batting

Have you avoided quilting with wool batts because you've heard you can't wash wool? Don't believe the rumors. Though you can't use a washing machine to wash a quilt with wool batting, you can wash it by hand.

Steps:

1. Wash the quilt only in cold water and with neutral pH soap.

2.  Soak the quilt in a large sink or bathtub filled with enough water to cover the quilt.

3.  Gently squeeze the fabric with your hands. Don't agitate the quilt-agitation and rubbing cause felting, which is an irreversible process.

4.  After washing, extended rinsing may be necessary to remove the soap residue.

5.  To extract excess water, put the quilt in the washing machine on the spin cycle only.

6.  Line-dry. Do not put the quilt in an automatic dryer.