Take a look at the the photo above. That's the water from a quilt that has been soaked several times. It's not my photo but I have several like it. Cleaning a quilt can take days of soaking and rinsing and changing the water to start the process over again. Most of them, even if they look clean, will produce some dirty water when soaked.
Should I wash every vintage or antique quilt I buy before offering it for sale? My answer is no. I don’t now, and I don’t expect that to change.
That decision isn’t about avoiding work. Anyone who has washed, rinsed, dried, and carefully handled an old quilt knows it is work. Washing can permanently change a quilt, and sometimes the better choice is to leave it alone. The hours involved also affect the price. My time is worth something, and if I washed every quilt and added that cost to every price tag, some quilts would become more expensive than buyers are willing to pay.
I do wash some quilts. When one is heavily soiled, I weigh the risk of washing it against the risk of leaving it as it is. I’m more inclined to wash a sturdy quilt if I see staining that could be blood or urine, or heavy yellowing that appears consistent with years of body oils or perspiration. Look near the head of an old quilt sometime. That area has often lived a long and busy life, and sometimes it shows in shiny yellow patches. Of course, appearance alone can’t tell me exactly what caused a stain.
After washing certain quilts, I’ve also put them in the sun to help lighten yellowing. Sunlight can fade colors and damage fibers, though, so that’s a judgment call, especially with a fragile quilt.
Sometimes washing is the greater risk
A quilt can look sturdy until it gets wet. Water adds weight. Old fabrics can weaken, dyes can run, seams can open, and batting can shift. Even a quilt from the 1930s that appears intact can surprise you. I’ve used my machine’s gentle cycle for some younger, sound quilts, but I never assume the result is guaranteed.
As a general rule, I favor a carefully planned water bath over a washing machine. That still means assessing the fabric and dyes, having enough room to support the entire quilt, and handling it carefully while wet. A storage tub from Menards might be part of my setup for an appropriate quilt, but buying a tub doesn’t magically make me a textile conservator.
For quilts made before the 1860s, I choose not to wash them, regardless of how dirty they appear. That is my personal line as a collector and seller. Age alone doesn’t mean water will destroy a quilt, but when fabrics are fragile or historically significant, a mistake can be irreversible. I would rather preserve an old quilt with some dirt, or even a stain that might be blood, than discover too late that I washed away part of its history.
That concern extends to some early 20th-century quilts, too. A date alone doesn’t tell me whether a quilt can withstand washing. Its fabric, stitching, dyes, batting, and existing damage all matter.
Washing takes time, and time affects price
When I do wash a quilt, the time and risk involved become part of its cost. I have to inspect it, consider whether washing is appropriate, wash it carefully, dry it thoroughly, and assess its condition afterward. That effort is often reflected in the price.
Vintage quilt prices have been climbing. I would rather offer a sound quilt that needs washing at a more affordable price, with its condition and laundering status clearly disclosed, than wash every quilt and price some buyers out. I’m willing to bet there are people who would happily save $50 and decide for themselves whether and how to wash their purchase.
Is that unethical? I don’t think selling an unwashed quilt is unethical when I accurately describe its condition, show the spots and wear, and tell buyers whether I’ve washed it. Buyers deserve the information they need to make their own decisions. “Unwashed by me” is useful information. It isn’t a promise that a quilt is clean, and it isn’t proof that it’s unsafe.
A maker’s time counts. Mine does, too.
Quilt coats, bags, and other repurposed pieces are everywhere right now, and I love seeing old quilts given new life. I also see finished quilt coats selling for several hundred dollars. Why? Because making one takes time, skill, and supplies. The maker may have paid for the quilt, washed it, bought a pattern, cut the pieces, sewn the coat, and finished every detail. As a quilter and maker myself, I understand why that work has value.
I don’t care if someone finds a $5 quilt at a garage sale and turns it into a $400 coat. Good for them! Their time and skill helped create something people want. I simply think the same understanding should extend to the work involved in sourcing, inspecting, documenting, photographing, and sometimes washing a quilt before it ever reaches that maker.
My goal is to give buyers an honest description and a fair choice. Some quilts I wash. Some I leave as found because washing poses too much risk. Others I leave unwashed so the next owner can decide what they’re comfortable doing and what they’re comfortable paying.
I know people have different opinions about this. Some buyers want every quilt washed before it reaches their home, and they have every right to make that a requirement for what they purchase. I respect that. But having a preference doesn’t mean every seller must change their practices to meet it. I’ll be clear about how I handle a quilt so buyers can decide whether it’s right for them.
Antique dealers often sell furniture, clothing, bedding, tools, kitchenware, and all sorts of oddities as found, leaving cleaning or restoration to the new owner. Why do some people expect every vintage quilt to be washed before it’s sold? What makes a quilt different from other antiques? Furthermore, if those same people walked into an antique store and saw a soiled quilt for a great price, would they walk away because it's dirty?
If you’re wondering about the risks of buying an unwashed quilt, I wrote about stains, their unknown origins, and disclosure in my September 22 post, “Old Stains, Honest Disclosure, and the Real Risk of Vintage Quilts.” That’s a good one to read next. I plan to explore quilt washing further, but first I wanted to explain how I make these decisions and why my answer is never simply, “Wash them all.”
Warm regards & Many thanks
Carol
Janj Threads - Founder
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