To ask what is NOT okay to buy second hand

[minddeter]

I try to buy second hand stuff as much as possible. I need some new towels-are second hand towels unacceptable?

I think second hand knickers would be a line drawn and towels have probably been just as close if not closer to someone's Front Bottom.

Where do you personally draw the line?

A big no-no is safety equipment of any kind - car seats, riding hats and cycle helmets etc.

You can put towels on a hot wash, no problem there.

I don't think I'd be happy with a second-hand parachute.

Mattresses
Pillows
Underwear (yes to bras depending on condition, no to knickers)
Running shoes unless practically brand new
Socks

WRT towels - why buy used when you can buy new fairly cheaply? If I had a choice of a luxury brand second hand or supermarket brand new, I would buy new.

I buy a lot of second hand clothes and footwear.

I once bought a maternity swimsuit which I wore with confidence after a wash with laundry safe bleach.

Mattresses, car seats. Underwear.

Having worked in a charity shop I can well believe false teeth are donated.

@aprilshowersandhail Whilst that sounds terrifying, aren't tumble dryers known for catching fire? I'm sure the risk from a new tumble dryer is more than from a second hand TV for example...

Cutlery

i work in a charity shop thats for a cat charity and towels unless they are still sealed in bags brand new go to the main centre for the cats to sleep on or rag man if they are too scratty for even the cats we dont sell second hand unpacked ones in the shop,
my one is second hand shoes we get lots in that are brand new never worn outside i might consider those
underwear , pyjamas or night wear, no wont buy those
bedding i like new but have donated duvet sets that have been on the bed once and didnt like them
dont mind furniture toys for my grandchildren clothes in very good nick can wash those.
i buy a lot of paperback books as i read voraciously and new would bankrupt me , jewellery or handbags are usually a bargain

Trousers or Jean's they can be in just as much contact with a fanny , as a pair of knickers.
Bedding or towels, too much intimacy with bodies.
Nightwear, Bras and socks, Intamacy issues too.
Not sure I could put a new baby in 2nd hand clothes either.

Ooh and foot wear a big no no

I have bought secondhand nappies for my baby. After a proper wash there shouldn't be anything there.

Wouldn't buy secondhand undies though, not sure why just wouldn't. Mattress. Car seats.

In principle I would buy secondhand hotel towels but I'm not sure I can be bothered to trawl for them when we could just buy new. Try to buy clothes secondhand but am often disappointed in the meagre saving and condition!

Under wear, mattress, pillow, bedsheets and towel.

@minddeter

I try to buy second hand stuff as much as possible. I need some new towels-are second hand towels unacceptable?

I think second hand knickers would be a line drawn and towels have probably been just as close if not closer to someone's Front Bottom.

Where do you personally draw the line?

I would also object on the basis of proximity to back bottom.... Apparently children's shoes I have learnt today as they mold to the foot and can cause problems with foot development. Any sort of bedding Knickers and bras Any sort of sex toys Anything really that goes near both front and back bottoms .... makeup 💄 ....

Definitely not shoes as we all have narrow feet and most second hand shoes are stretched out of shape.

I don't think I could do underwear, swim cossies or socks, all too close to the smelly bits. Even after washing i would still feel a bit uurgh and thinking about it, that's also pillows, sheets, and towels as a no, for bodily fluid reasons.

Some people are just minging as evidenced on the "how often do you wash/do you use soap" type threads.

Trousers or Jean's they can be in just as much contact with a fanny , as a pair of knickers

But when you buy jeans or trousers in a shop, most have been near ( when tried on) god knows how many different fannies!!!

Ah you say that @VettiyaIruken and I agree with you, but there was the ladies at the car boot sale last year with a very large (I thought) one in a leather case on their table. I had not seen one before so I had a good peer. (It had a wonderful brand name, something like "Dauntless" but not that, I think that is a toilet cistern)

@B33Fr33

"Front bottom" oh do fuck off. Labia? Vulva? YABhugely cringeworthy.

Very odd response. Thanks to everyone else though. :) Yes good point regarding hotel towels!

There's 2 things really. I wouldn't buy anything going into my body second hand so toothbrushes, mooncups etc. Although I'd make an exception for diamond earrings.

And I wouldn't buy second hand anything that I'd use till it fell apart so knickers, socks, towels, sheets. Seems like a false economy, I'd want the full lifespan of e.g. a teatowel or dishcloth.

I prefer to buy second hand furniture and only buy new when old is difficult to find.

Car seats
Bike helmets
Underwear
Swimming costumes
And personally shoes, I just have a thing about wearing other people’s shoes - I don’t go bowling either.

But anything else is fair game to me - most of my clothes purchased over the past few years are second hand, as are books, games etc. The only thing stopping me from buying more second hand furniture is not knowing a man with van.

Have bought lots of second hand stuff over the years, half my wardrobe is via eBay. I'd not buy underwear, socks, PJ's, trainers, towels. Have had bedsheets off family. Would buy leather shoes in good condition but not sports shoes. Wouldn't buy earrings though I know you could easily sterilise. Big fan of second hand clothes though, love a bargain and buying things I'd not be able to afford ordinarily like cashmere and more upmarket brands, rather than buy a load of poorly made Primark crap.

I’m not a fan of second hand at all, the only things I would consider is cars and houses.

Used to work for a charity - we got a suitcase full of, ahem, specialist latex garments, complete with gimp mask and accompanied by a bag of dildos, rampant rabbits etc.
Not sure any of it would survive a boil wash so it'd be a no from me...

@Brieminewine you wouldn’t consider a secondhand book?

Charity shop volunteer here.

Things which we get donated which we don't/can't sell fall into two broad categories:

Hygiene /Safety - we don't sell second hand lifejackets, riding helmets, cycle helmets, car seats because we can't guarantee safety. I wouldn't buy a second hand car seat, unless it was coming from someone I knew well.

Just don't sell - second hand towels don't really sell well, worn towels don't sell at all (but we take them to the local vet who is very grateful), but we do sell towels in good condition is we get them in. Sheets don't sell unless new in a packet, but duvet covers do. We have a policy not to sell swimwear/underwear unless it's new with a tag and the sticky hygiene strip in the case of swimwear. Some people are a bit ick about pierced earrings, but they are very easy to clean.