I have to be one lucky son of a gun then. For 42 years I have placed plants in straight peat, and they grew like crazy. I do not do anything special, just add water. Joe Mazrimas, who started the ICPS along with Don Schnell, has always told me that I have the finest plants he has ever seen. I HAVE to be one lucky fellow! Washing the peat is , no doubt, a good idea, just from the safety aspect. But, sometimes, you can be fortunate, like me, and not have anything too drastic happen to your plants. One gentleman I know, bought some peat from Lowes, and planted merrily away. Used the bulk of the peat for seed. I have to say, whatever was in this particular brand of peat, I don't know. It was the calcium stuff mentioned earlier, and it grew and spread all over his pots and plants. This garbage grew completely over his seedlings, destroying many little sarracenia and drosera lives. I surely won't use the brand he got. I will stick with the stuff I have been using forever. I have never had problems with that. Maybe brand has something to do with it as well.