What is best for fabric/quilt storage
11-04-2012, 06:13 AM
#1
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What is best for fabric/quilt storage
A friend recently told me that she was told not to store quilts and fabric in plastic as the plastic causes the fabric to deterriorate faster. She was told to keep her quilt stored in fabric bag. When told plastic, would that include storage bins or just the plastic zipper bags that you get blankets inat stores? What is best?
11-04-2012, 07:06 AM
#4
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Fabric allows the quilt to breathe, which means that moisture is not trapped inside. (Trapped moisture can cause mold and other fiber deterioration.)
However, it's really the soft plastics that are not so good for quilt storage as they can outgas chemicals that damage fibers. Another problem with garbage bags specifically is that quilts have inadvertently been mistaken for garbage and gotten tossed.
Hard plastic containers are safe except for the moisture trapping issue. To deal with that, some people drill a couple of holes in the container but it's easier to just include some silica gel packets similar to those found in pill bottles, shoes, etc. You can even buy silica gel in bulk at places such as Walmart; it is used to dry flowers.
Edit: I just want to add that if there is any possibility of mice getting into the house, the hard plastic container with silica gel would be the safest. Mice will chew quilts and use fibers for bedding. In this case, you also wouldn't want to drill holes in the plastic bins as mice can squeeze through incredibly small places.
However, it's really the soft plastics that are not so good for quilt storage as they can outgas chemicals that damage fibers. Another problem with garbage bags specifically is that quilts have inadvertently been mistaken for garbage and gotten tossed.
Hard plastic containers are safe except for the moisture trapping issue. To deal with that, some people drill a couple of holes in the container but it's easier to just include some silica gel packets similar to those found in pill bottles, shoes, etc. You can even buy silica gel in bulk at places such as Walmart; it is used to dry flowers.
Edit: I just want to add that if there is any possibility of mice getting into the house, the hard plastic container with silica gel would be the safest. Mice will chew quilts and use fibers for bedding. In this case, you also wouldn't want to drill holes in the plastic bins as mice can squeeze through incredibly small places.
11-04-2012, 07:18 AM
#5
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: howell, Mi
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Prism 99 has some good pointers, I just wanted to add that almost everyone has the chance of having mice. They come inside to get out of the weather, so especially in areas that have cold winters mice are a fact of life. You are so right, they can get inside through the smallest opening, and then they send out signals so all their friends can come too.
Sue
Sue
11-04-2012, 08:35 AM
#6
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 11,276
Prism 99 has some good pointers, I just wanted to add that almost everyone has the chance of having mice. They come inside to get out of the weather, so especially in areas that have cold winters mice are a fact of life. You are so right, they can get inside through the smallest opening, and then they send out signals so all their friends can come too.
Sue
Sue
11-04-2012, 12:20 PM
#7
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 3,372
Fabric allows the quilt to breathe, which means that moisture is not trapped inside. (Trapped moisture can cause mold and other fiber deterioration.)
However, it's really the soft plastics that are not so good for quilt storage as they can outgas chemicals that damage fibers. Another problem with garbage bags specifically is that quilts have inadvertently been mistaken for garbage and gotten tossed.
Hard plastic containers are safe except for the moisture trapping issue. To deal with that, some people drill a couple of holes in the container but it's easier to just include some silica gel packets similar to those found in pill bottles, shoes, etc. You can even buy silica gel in bulk at places such as Walmart; it is used to dry flowers.
Edit: I just want to add that if there is any possibility of mice getting into the house, the hard plastic container with silica gel would be the safest. Mice will chew quilts and use fibers for bedding. In this case, you also wouldn't want to drill holes in the plastic bins as mice can squeeze through incredibly small places.
However, it's really the soft plastics that are not so good for quilt storage as they can outgas chemicals that damage fibers. Another problem with garbage bags specifically is that quilts have inadvertently been mistaken for garbage and gotten tossed.
Hard plastic containers are safe except for the moisture trapping issue. To deal with that, some people drill a couple of holes in the container but it's easier to just include some silica gel packets similar to those found in pill bottles, shoes, etc. You can even buy silica gel in bulk at places such as Walmart; it is used to dry flowers.
Edit: I just want to add that if there is any possibility of mice getting into the house, the hard plastic container with silica gel would be the safest. Mice will chew quilts and use fibers for bedding. In this case, you also wouldn't want to drill holes in the plastic bins as mice can squeeze through incredibly small places.
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