can I do a quit claim deed to remove husband from deed to protect from potential liens from irs debt before our marriage?

Bankruptcy law is federal as are the laws concerning the IRS, these laws apply to all states. That being said I am an attorney licensed in Washington State and cannot give legal advice for someone in another state.

However, if you were a residence in Washington, I would tell your husband to visit a bankruptcy attorney quickly. If the IRS has not yet liened, the obligation may very well be dischargable in a chapter 7 or a chapter 13 bankruptcy. The general rule is that if the tax debt is more than 3 years old, and the returns were filed by the debtor (tax payor) more than 2 years before the date of filing a bankruptcy, and there was no issue of tax fraud, the debt is dischargeable in a bankruptcy.

Have him see an experianced bankruptcy attorney right away.

As a follow up, before you start removing your husband's name from the real estate, you definitely want to talk to an attorney in person. The courts generally take a very dim view of someone shifting property around when they are on the brink of bankruptcy (think about Madoff's wife). Many times (not always) property can be protected from the affects of bankruptcy by a competent bankruptcy attorney..