AIBU to wonder what you WOULDN'T buy 2nd hand

[cariadlet]

Dp is currently wearing a pair of trainers that one of his friends gave him. Dd is also wearing a pair of trainers that she bought 2nd hand online.

I buy lots of clothes from charity shops but I'm really squeamish about feet and said that I would never buy 2nd hand shoes.

This led to dp and dd asking what I would be happy to buy 2nd hand. When I said no to towels, dp asked about hotels. Obviously I know that towels are washed and reused but I had never really thought about it. I had a sudden unwanted image of a previous guest using the towel in my room to dry their feet and crevices. I had a genuine physical reaction. It made me feel quite shivery and yucky.

I know I was being ridiculous and irrational, but please tell me that I'm not the only one. What wouldn't you want to buy 2nd hand or use after other people? (I'm assuming undies are a no-no for everybody).

Someone on my local Facebook buy sell swap was selling second hand pair of sandals complete with dirty foot prints. Gross!

Mattress, clothes, shoes.

I've always bought second hand furniture, however after buying a rug off a friend that had been in storage we ended up with bedbugs. Cost me best part of £700 to deal with and I'm still paranoid and steam cleaning weekly despite new bed/carpets/duvets etc so I'm afraid my days of buying used anything are well and truly over, put me off for life.

My first thoughts were knickers, socks, and mattresses.

But actually I have bought second hand vintage knickers. They were clearly never worn and in absolutely perfect condition so I didn't mind. I've also bought second hand lightly used cloth menstrual pads, they just get a thorough cleaning before I use them. Have likewise sold on pads that I didn't get on with and I believe there's also a market for secondhand menstrual cups. Keep meaning to flog a couple I've used once and hated (after they've been thoroughly sterilised!). So actually I don't see why knickers would be a problem if they were really nice and obviously lightly used. Nobody wants any grotty falling apart primark pants.

Socks I would probably take if they still had original tags on, and would happily borrow socks from friends or family in a pinch but can't see myself buying used socks.

My mattress I would happily sell on knowing it had been in a bedbug proof, water proof cover cover since we unwrapped it so it is genuinely clean and safe to go to another home. Would happily accept a used mattress from family if it was in decent condition but wouldn't risk buying one secondhand. Have slept on some questionable mattresses in rentals before and they just make my skin crawl. Impossible to clean well and often covered in stains from god knows what. Sofas are icky on the same level so I've always thrown any cushion covers through the wash and used dettol fabric antibac spray stuff.

Just pants really. And that’s just down to me overthinking. I know I can wash them.

I have slept in loads of beds that aren’t mine, sat on loads of sofas and chairs in cafes and restaurants that other people have. So furniture is a non issue.

I hold on to things in trains and buses and public spaces that have zillions more germs everyday because a zillion people use them, than using someone’s second hand stuff.

@Crinkle77
Someone on my local Facebook buy sell swap was selling second hand pair of sandals complete with dirty foot prints. Gross!

I think that's probably for a particular men's fetish market rather than to be worn...

I'd draw the line at underwear, mattresses, shoes and safety equipment I think, most other stuff wouldn't worry me

Shoes

any kind of safety equipment be it for babies or other like cycling helmets, riding equipment.

Underwear, socks and swimwear

I took my 7 year old to a karate tournament the other day and was a bit grossed out when I heard a teacher ask some parents if another of her students could borrow their son's cup.

Little off topic but I was doing a clear out one time and I had this duvet set that I had loved. It had a very unique black and pink flower design on it. Anyway the black began to fade after a few years and I sadly had to say goodbye so put it into a bin bag and got my DH to drop it down to the bin shed. A week later we were driving out of our apartment block and I saw my duvet cover drying over my downstairs neighbours balcony... too coincidental to not be the same one since I'd never seen it out before and I had purchased it in a shop miles away from home.

Soft toys. I don't know why (when my DCs were of that age) I had such a thing about it - but I saw a charity stall with a load of second hand cuddly toys the other day and recoiled a bit. Second hand plastic/wooden toys (which are presumably sucked and dribbled on just as much) are absolutely fine. It makes no sense.

No to secondhand underwear, safety equipment or mattresses. No to trainers. I’ve never actually had secondhand shoes of any sort but only because I’ve never seen any I liked. DD buys second hand shoes because she loves vintage seventies and sixties stuff.

Underwear, bedding, towels, any footwear

Almost everything except things like a car, house etc.

Underwear
Cots
Mattresses
Car seats
Pillows
Cushions
Toilet seats

Underwear

Shoes

Mattress

Towel

Car seat, or any safety equipment except baby gates

High chair (unless 100% plastic and could be bleached to within an inch of its life)

Dressing gown

Cooker (unless it was utterly spotless)

Anything stuffed (toys, cushions etc)

Most baby stuff apart from clothes, and clothes have to be in good nick

Anything second hand does need to be able to be cleaned very thoroughly (clothes all get boil washed etc)

I've had some absolute steals from charity shops, a beautiful oak coffee table for a fiver (owner thought it must be just veneer because of the locale), a couple of really lovely dresses, some good quality, well detailed plastic dinosaurs for ds, a clarice cliff vase for a tenner (shop owner had never heard of cc, vase worth around £80 at auction), a 1930s dinner set in perfect condition (and with plates that aren't a mile wide)

I am very very picky though, and tend to browse the ones in more affluent areas as they tend to get better donations

I Saw no eBay someone selling earphones once(the in ear ones) Didn't sit right with me just ew! I'm sure you'd replace the buds on them but it's not enough haha

That and underwear, and sex toys

My mum always said no shoes, no hats, otherwise everything fine (except underwear obvs.

It would be easier to say what i would buy second hand tbh.

A vase, or piece of art. A DVD. Something like that.

Nothing i can't wash under the hot tap and nothing which i have to have touch me much. I can't cope with the idea of other peoples germs on stuff.

Forgot, no second hand car seats. Even if they haven't been in an accident they have an expiry date.

Underwear
Mattress
Towels
Biggest one is car seat. I absolutely would not buy or have any sort of second hand car seat.

Weirdly I am totally happy with 2nd hand shoes, clothes, bedding, furniture, bras, but I CANNOT abide a second hand book .... I love reading and regularly have at least 3-4 books on the go - but all on my kindle . I would borrow s book from my mum but can’t even do the library .... just the thought of some other person in bed touching the book literally makes me heave ....

I think there is also a difference between a second hand from a charity shop and second hand from friend.

I wouldn't get a sleeping bag, bed, towels, sheets from charity shop but might from someone I know.

Feeling a lot less weird after reading where other people draw the line. 😊

But also a bit yucky after people putting ideas into my head that I hadn't thought of before!

Underwear
Shoes
Hats
for starters

Most of the things I wouldnt buy have already been listed. Although i did see someone selling a potty, couldnt buy a second hand potty or second hand reusable nappies either.

controversial one but gifts (Christmas/birthday) I couldnt buy my children (or anyone) a second hand item as a gift, gifts are always new in this house.!