To worry about not washing new clothes before wearing them?

I generally wash new clothes to soften them and take away that shop smell. The only time I might not is if I've bought something that needs to hold its shape for some kind of occasion and I risk losing that by washing. I wash bed linen and towels too before first use.

I wash eveything new. Can’t stand the smell of new stuff. That and also potential for clothes to have been kicked around a shop floor, lying in a stock room, handled by many, sweaty armpits and other areas from being tried on. Just yuk.

Bed linen yes, men’s shirts out of packets yes, but only because they are crispy and stiff.

clothes for me, absolutely not, they look much better prewashed.

Nope 👎

It’s the only time the clothes look nice! After I’ve washed them they are always that little bit less perfect so I wouldn’t be wasting the joy of that first wear when it looks it’s best. <I maybe need to learn to be a more careful clothes washer but in this house everything goes on the economy wash!)

I never do unless I want to soften them a bit - but recently have washed two pairs of jeans twice as the dye in them STINKS!

OP, in order to dye fabric it has to be washed several times anyway. It has been washed before it got to the shops.

I do wash things that I buy from Vinted or Ebay where people have previously washed using over-scented fabric conditioner. Other than that I don’t bother, it’s a waste of time!

What happens if you buy something that is dry clean only? Do you dry clean that (in weird chemicals) before wearing it?

Makes NO sense unless you have very sensitive skin.

You would think so wouldn't you?

Yeah I wash them. But that's because I have sensory issues and they need fabric softener before I can wear them

Surely if new clothes were covered in potentially dangerous chemicals there would have to be huge health warnings on them or it just wouldn't be allowed.
I know bedding always recommends washing first but it's not a health warning.

Those who are aghast at having sweat/chemicals/dirt/rat poison next to their skin how do you try clothes on without them touching you?

Christ. Don't have anything dry cleaned then. How do you manage with clothes that can't be washed?

I have never washed anything first before wearing it. I wash garments after I've worn ithem.

I have a lovely new sequinned dress to wear for a party in the next few weeks. Unsurprsingly I won't be giving it a quick wash first 😆

No I don't wash my chemical laden new clothes in chemical laden washing detergent before wearing and never have.

I always wash new kitchen ware but I generally don't cook or eat off my new clothes so not too concerned about potential germs on them.

^This
Plus I know of two people who buy, wear and return on a regular basis - never wearing anything twice. So they’ve had an outfit on all day / night. So it’s not ‘new’ at least not as you know it.

I never wash new clothes or bedding 🤷‍♀️ 40 years on the planet and nothing 'bad' has happened to me....well it has but never caused by unwashed new clothes!
On the plus side, maybe all of the formaldehyde is preserving me and I will remain youthful forever 😆

I can't believe how many people never wash things before wearing them! As a one off it's not going to kill you and it's something I've done when I've not had time to wash something and I've really wanted to wear it BUT new clothing etc is treated with nasty chemicals like formaldehyde that should really not be next to your skin.🤢

I'm almost 40. I've never washed new clothes, my mom didn't. Never washed new bed stuff or babies stuff either.

We are all alive. And healthy. And no skin problems.

You'll survive.

People in 2024 clearly have too much time on their hands and nothing to really worry about

I've never washed new stuff before wearing it and I'm still here at 57.

What a ridiculous thing to do or to worry about.

I get a rash if I don’t wash new clothing really well. I have bad allergies so that contributes. Most items get 2 washes. Some get more.

I always wash something that's going to be next to my skin, unless its been packaged, as I just don't like the idea of other people's bodies being in contact with what I've bought, and I always wash sheets, duvet covers and towels before I use them. My mother always washed everything before wearing, so it's never occurred to me not to! I did wear a new t-shirt the other day without washing it first, but only because I had friends coming round, and wanted to wear that t-shirt! And anything from a charity shop definitely gets washed first, and I'd never buy shoes or hats from a charity shop. I'm surprised at the amount of MN'ers that don't wash things first, I thought everyone did.

I couldn't care less - and I'm rarely ill. I haven't even had covid.

What I don't know doesn't hurt me. And what sort of shops do you have in the UK - I've never seen a shop with "floor dirt".

I have never in my 64 years washed clothes, sheet, towels, or indeed anything, before wearing/using them.

What do you think is going to happen??

you probably won't die but I always wash them. who knows what infectious skin condition/ parasites/ hygiene issues anyone who tried it on before you might have had.

I once done a used tissue in the pocket of a dress I was trying on from John lewis....

🤢