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AIBU?

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Original poster

To worry about not washing new clothes before wearing them?

257 replies

strawberryjeans · 30/05/2024 23:01

I usually wash everything that we buy new. I haven’t washed the dress I’m wearing today, got it from Sainsbury’s a few months ago.

Is it that bad? 😅

OP posts:
Walking12345 · 03/06/2024 10:34

It depends on your skin. I wash DD new clothes as she gets a rash if not. Not harmful but seems sensible to avoid.

Cotonsugar · 03/06/2024 10:16

JumpstartMondays · 30/05/2024 23:34

🙋 I've got no idea which sweaty person tried it on in the shop and put it back on the shelf before I bought it. Or who sneezed and wiped heir hands down it accidentally while trying it on. Or how many times it was dropped on the floor and picked back up again, dragging floor dirt with it. Or any other multitude of reasons!

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Still nothing will happen to you 😊

QuickDraining · 03/06/2024 09:34

I'd guess that there are chemicals like fire retardants and others placed on at the factory. I always wash new clothes. I also have new sofa and carpet fear. I think the forever chemical realisation will rise. I mean now they have detected micro-plastics in testicles (indicative of general pollution). It's no surprise prostate cancer is up.

I'd be careful about any chemicals that have direct contact with your skin. Though I wouldn't worry myself silly about the odd exception.

I have a brother that never washed his socks, just bought new pairs and placed them straight on. Mind you, he has heart and liver failure now. Correlation doesn't necessarily imply causation!

catmothertes1 · 03/06/2024 09:33

NattyTurtle · 31/05/2024 10:02

Me neither.

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Lucky you!

catmothertes1 · 03/06/2024 09:30

Manthide · 03/06/2024 08:19

Definitely, dd1 had a gorgeous designer skirt which looked beautiful when she wore it the first time. I don't think she ever wore it again after I'd washed it!

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New is the only time that something nice will look "new" and nice! The first wash is taking a chance on how it will look. Will it shrink? Will it become baggy? Who knows?

usernother · 03/06/2024 09:25

I'm in my 60's and have never ever washed anything I've bought before wearing. Still alive.

Gretty264 · 03/06/2024 09:24

So the only items which cause issues in my experience are strongly coloured sweatshirts, the inside fluff can come off, similar to wearing new socks and can sometimes affect any t shirt you are wearing underneath - I’ve had it dye a white T-shirt before :( otherwise I’ve worn new clothes my whole life and no issue

Misthios · 03/06/2024 09:08

It's personal preference, isn't it? If you want to wash, wash. (Although I wouldn't, and think too many people do far too much washing as it is).

Worrying about it is the unreasonable bit.

ElBandito · 03/06/2024 08:52

I do because DS has had allergic reactions to some M&S items, hives where the garment touched him. All ok after washing.

Manthide · 03/06/2024 08:23

ValueAddedTaxonomy · 31/05/2024 07:33

Washing bed linen seems even crazier. It's not as if anyone in the shop tries it on. It is fully packed. If you can't use that straight off the bat, how can you bring yourself to (eg) eat a packaged sandwich?

Is the concern "chemicals" in some vague sense? There are laws that make products safe for users. If you can't trust manufacturers to comply with these, how do you buy anything at all??

I do wash bed linen as I generally can't stand the smell of them when I take them out of the packaging. It would definitely wreck my sleep if I didn't! I do have a very sensitive nose though - I stayed with dd1 for a couple of nights recently and couldn't sleep the first night because of the detergent smell on her bed linen. I had to put my clothes between my nose and the sheets/ pillowcase in the end.

Upinthenightagain · 03/06/2024 08:21

I don’t normally, but I’ve started doing it since I read about lead and toxins in clothes although washing them probably won’t make much difference granted

Manthide · 03/06/2024 08:19

CheerfulBunny · 31/05/2024 13:10

I am the world's worst ironer so some things I buy are never quite the same again once they've been washed. I recall a lovely, quite spendy dress I bought for a wedding (raspberry red so safe in terms of being mistaken for the bride 😉) which had some complicated pleats at the front like origami. Looked like a bag o'shite after my ministrations with the iron. Better to enjoy these things while you can and risk the deadly chemicals/germs.

Definitely, dd1 had a gorgeous designer skirt which looked beautiful when she wore it the first time. I don't think she ever wore it again after I'd washed it!

Manthide · 03/06/2024 08:07

CJsGoldfish · 30/05/2024 23:43

I have never ever, in my 40 yrs of washing my own clothes washed new clothes before wearing them. I also never washed the mountains of baby clothes 4 babies generated.
It's fine 🤷‍♀️

When my babies were very new I did but not after about 6 months.

Yirk · 03/06/2024 07:28

I wash new clothes, a lot of clothes travel hundreds of miles stored in what, treated with chemicals and anti fungal, a quick wash makes them fresh and clean.

DrStrangesSmarterSister · 03/06/2024 07:20

I wash clothes before I wear them because I've read about different chemicals being applied to them before storage and transportation etc.

sunglassesonthetable · 03/06/2024 07:17

I've never caught a disease from my clothes. 🤷‍♀️

Roselilly36 · 03/06/2024 07:15

I don’t wash garments first, unless they are DS2 he will never wear anything new unless it is washed before he wears it.

Exquisitebluebutterfly · 03/06/2024 07:03

I have worked in a jeans factory. The 3rd floor where the big pieces of fabric were stored and cut by strong men and their big cutting machines were ridden with rats and smelled absolutely awful!!! We girls never went up there, so afraid of the rats. At the end of the day, our hands were blue from handling the jeans pieces. Most of these clothes are produced in third world countries, in sweaty factories, with poor higyene e work conditions. Apart from chemicals, rats shit, rats piss, there are also many diseases that could be transported with the clothes. It is your choice if you washed them before use. But I, from my experience, do wash everything before use and have advised many to do so.

shearwater2 · 03/06/2024 06:43

It reminds me of someone I used to know who would carefully peel button mushrooms.

sunglassesonthetable · 02/06/2024 17:40

You can't possibly be certain of this. I've never asked anyone this question and no one has ever asked me.

Ok . So you're certain I'm exactly the same .
😂

Nope I don't know anyone who does this.

Longma · 02/06/2024 09:31

I never wash new clothes before wearing them.

MistyGreenAndBlue · 02/06/2024 09:06

sunglassesonthetable · 02/06/2024 07:17

Don't know ANYONE that does this.

You can't possibly be certain of this. I've never asked anyone this question and no one has ever asked me.

sunglassesonthetable · 02/06/2024 07:17

Don't know ANYONE that does this.

Pepperama · 02/06/2024 05:00

fieldsofbutterflies · 31/05/2024 07:39

Do you genuinely think clothing retailers are using illegal levels of toxins on all their clothing?

If that was the case, surely retail staff would be breaking out in rashes and illnesses on a daily basis? Confused

Show quote history

It is producers not retailers and dermatitis is indeed more common in shop workers. Various scientific studies exist, but reasons for washing clothes are described well here https://haydenhill.co/blogs/journal/how-to-wash-new-clothes

a chic woman carrying a large shopping bag, hailing a taxi

Is It Necessary to Wash New Clothes?

Shopping is a favourite hobby for many, and the rush that comes from bringing home bags of new clothes is hard to match. But what about after you get home? There is some debate about whether you should wash new clothes before wearing them. And while th...

https://haydenhill.co/blogs/journal/how-to-wash-new-clothes

flyingwingsabove · 01/06/2024 23:43

jannier · 01/06/2024 23:09

Do you take antibacterial wipes to clean seats, tables, door handles and cover the loo seat?

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I use a wipe in places like costa or Starbucks or if a table if grubby. I’ll also clean a tray table on a flight. As for a toilet, no I don’t always clean it. I will squat though.

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