Did you recently receive a valuable handmade quilt and have no clue how to take care of it? It can be daunting, and if you’re like everyone else, you’ll want to take care of it. It’s usually a gift that someone took a lot of time to make. Therefore, learning how to care for your handmade quilt will be paramount. Read on to find out how.
Inspect Your Quilt
You’ll want to know if there are any stains or spills on your quilt. Most importantly, you want to catch any loose threads before they unravel and become a problem later. Quilts are subject to unraveling. Since this happens, especially with the homemade variety, it’s important to start repairs before it becomes a problem. Additionally, ensure you spot clean any stains the moment you notice them. Don’t wait for the stain to set. Be diligent, and your quilt will look like new.
Wash Your Quilt
It’s ideal to take your quilt to the cleaners, but sometimes that may be out of the question. If you don’t know the person, you might be worried that they might ruin it. So you might want to wash it yourself. While full guides to washing your quilt exist, here are a few tips for you to implement:
- Try hand washing, especially for delicate and thin quilts.
- Remember that you shouldn’t use washing machines for quilts with sentimental value.
- If you are going to machine wash, the gentle setting is your friend. The normal and super options are out of the question. They could tear your quilt apart.
- Use mild detergent. Don’t scrub or beat the quilt.
- Do at least five to seven water rinses within one cycle.
Shake and Vacuum Your Quilt Off
You should regularly shake your quilt off outside. You’ll want to do this to keep small dust particles and dirt from setting in the fibers. Afterward, you may want to vacuum it. When doing so, use a small hand vacuum on low suction to ensure you don’t damage the body of the quilt. A nozzle on a high setting can damage the quilt. This is one of the most important things to learn when trying to take care of your quilt.
In short, taking care of your quilt is a labor of love. It’s a commitment since most quilts are sentimental, especially handmade ones. You should take care of something made with such love. Heed these tips, and you’ll have your blanket for years to come.
