I wash most of my quilts because I love that vintage look you get once the quilt has been washed. Also, since I use a lot of African fabrics, I need to wash the quilt to remove the wax since I rarely wash my fabrics before I put them in a quilt. (I sometimes make an exception for reds). Once the wax is removed from African fabrics, they are very soft.
I would not dream of washing my quilts without Color Catcher. It truly is a product I cannot live without, and I never allow myself to run out of it. Color Catcher really does prevent your colors from bleeding into the other colors, and it is so easy to use. Just throw in a couple of sheets when you wash the quilt, and Color Catcher does the rest.
There may be other products that will keep the dye in your quilts from bleeding, but I have had the most success with Color Catcher. Visit my Amazon Storefront to purchase on Amazon. You can also find it in the grocery store near other laundry products.