To not wash new clothes before I wear them?

[Happyyellowcar]

DH got lots of socks for Christmas which have sat in the packet in his drawer until yesterday. Today they all appeared in the washing basket - he will not wear any items of clothing until they have been washed at home. It added to my already overloaded washing pile and it took ages to pair them afterwards. I wear new stuff without washing them first without a second thought. I dress the DC in new clothes without washing them first too (the clothes not the kids). Is this really a thing? I get irritated by it - AIBU or him?

Absulutely nothing on here has made me change my mind- washing new clothes is bizarre.

I wash new clothes, they generally smell a bit plastic to me and can be stiff. Not new coats though. Bedding definitely gets a wash. Jeans for sure, by themselves as they can transfer dye onto furniture and other clothes.

i've always washed new clothes. always.
i got that habit from DM who says that new clothes are often very stiff and need a rinse.
fabric stiffness is also mentioned above by cpic.
i would also wash towels and bed linen.
i mostly wash time for hygiene reasons really. any skin infection going - i'll get it - so i have to be careful.

them not time.
wish i could wash time though.

I wash new clothes, but tend to do it on the quick wash with very little detergent. I don't like the feel of them, and had also read about the chemical treatments that can be on them when you buy them.

I do pretty much all the laundry in our household, but that's because my husband's threshold for not mixing loads is not great and I prefer to decide which of my clothes are going in on which setting. He does most of the dishes which I think is more intensive. I also don't pair his socks - I leave his clothes on his side of the bed and he puts them away. I will sometimes pair socks for the children but am encouraging them to do it and put their own clothes away as well.

wilting sorting through the washing first would just add to my jobs - I'm always in a rush so usually pick up an armful of washing and bung it in as quick as poss...
mill that's really extreme - poor you!!

I was irritated because we disagree on whether new clothes need washing, not on who does the washing

This is the point of what people have been saying to you though OP. If his insistence on them being washed irritates you, just tell him to wash them himself.

You made it sound like you had to wash them against your will, or that it was causing you extra work or extra stress or something. There is a simple solution. Tell him that you don't think they need washing, so you're not going to be the one to wash them because it's adding too much to your already overloaded washing basket.

Now you are saying it's no bother, you just grab a load, wash it and it's no big deal. Are you changing your opinion here or what?

I am over 60 yrs, have never washed anything new and have never caught any skin condition! I am certainly not going to start washing new things now - madness.

^

This. Talk about first world problems!

OP, out of curiosity, how come you have two or three loads of washing per day? Do you have loads of children?

I have 3 DC , 2 of which spend most of their free time making mud pies and playing with sand and water and the 3rd is a 7month old baby who is am extremely messy eater. Plus I use cheeky wipes rather than disposable wipes plus washable nappies AND DH goes to the gym most days so has a bag of gym stuff and I do running or something most days too....then there's sheets and towels and school uniform...it's never ending.

I wash new socks, underwear and towels first. Nothing else though. The reason I wash these items is because they are treated with certains during the manufacturing process and in the case of cotton socks and towels they aren't as absorbent until they are washed (Andy Murray had his team go fetch him a previously washed tournament towel once when he was given a brand new one on court.)

I really should wash new clothes first though. I read that clothes made in countries like China which are then shipped are treated with chemicals including formaldehyde to prevent bugs and mites from eating the fabric.

If you have that much to deal with OP, then your DH should definitely wash his new socks himself.

Well, I've never washed new clothes before in my life but all this talk of chemicals and mouse wee has convinced me of the error of my ways. Hold on though - what about trainers etc?? Do they need washing too?

seems mad to me to wash new clothes. .. or bedding for that matter.

I only buy clothes from Charity shops so its not a problem.

Oh I always wash new bedding first! The one time I didn't with a sheet set from Ikea I woke up the next morning itchy and scratching all over with a lovely rash marks all over.