Can you dryclean a homemade quilt?

Although some people have dry cleaned their quilts, it's NEVER advisable. Quilts are usually made with cotton -- and the dry cleaning process/chemicals are VERY damaging to the fabric!

This also goes for crazy quilts (made from cottons, velvets, silks, etc) ... they, too, can be irreparably damaged by the dry cleaning process/chemicals.

So what to do? If you don't think that regular laundering is appropriate, try laying the quilt outside on grass (not dirt, mud, etc) on a VERY sunny day ... the sun will freshen the fabrics and "bleach" any stains and the grass will, in effect, act as a deodorizer.

If it's just stinky, try putting the quilt in a garbage bag (and make sure to mark it -- many quilts have been tossed out by accident this way by unsuspecting family members!!) and toss in a quarter bar of Gold Dial bar soap. Leave the bag, closed, for a few days ... when you open it up, you'll find your quilt is wonderfully deodorized and smells lovely!

Hope this helps!! :)