I know I have read posts on here about this, but my various searches didn't turn up what I was looking for.

Can I wash my quilt after I've quilted it but before the binding is put on? I'm dying to wash it, as I've had to lay it on the floor every night to put painters tape on the parts I'm going to hand quilt, and it totally grosses me out to see all the cat hair that has stuck to the back. I vacuum and vacuum but now I'm thinking it's not from the floor but from my black cat lying on the quilt when I'm not working on it. I used muslim on the back and stuff really sticks to it!

I DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO WASH BEFORE BINDING, YOU'RE JUST GOING TO END UP WITH A LOT OF BATTING FLUFF ALL OVER YOUR QUILT. BIND IT FIRST, THEN TRY AND BRUSH OR VACUUM THE HAIR OF, WASH IT AND BRUSH AGAIN. THAT'S ALWAYS WORKED FOR ME, BUT OTHERS MIGHT HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT THIS, SO DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT.

I would only try it if the edges were serged or zig-zagged first.

Have you tried a lint roller to get the cat hair off?

I would use a lint roller several times, attach the binding, then wash.

I have washed two SMALL quilts before the binding - a good zigzag around the edges and very little agitating and they turned out fine. Even dried them partially in the dryer! It might be different with different batting - I used 80/20 Hobbs.

My best friend is the lint roller since there is 10 different cats in out house at different of the day and night and at least 8 of them are quilt inspectors.

finish the quilt and then wash it- washing is the FINAL STEP. and the best part!

Buy the pet hair remover by Pledge...OH MY GOD you won't believe how great that is...You'd never know you had a cat.

LOL Too funny. Quilt inspectors! I have a couple of those!

I zig zag the edges first then toss it in the dryer with a softner sheet. Set it on warm and tubble for 5 minutes plus. The softener sheet takes the static out of the fabric and the cat hair is gone.