To worry about not washing new clothes before wearing them?

[strawberryjeans]

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? 😅

I have never even considered washing new clothes. I'm not sure what you think could happen?

No! They never look as good again as they do new

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 🤷‍♀️

I’m the same OP. I feel myself cringe when people say things like they’ve put sheets new out the pack on the bed, or just ripped the tags off something and put straight on a baby. They put all chemicals and shit on it, not just in the making and dyeing, they spray clothes in formaldehyde for shipping and storing. It’s a VOC and carcinogen. Stinks as well!

I wash all our new clothing, and I’m surprised at the number of replies from people that don’t! Clothes are treated with formaldehyde resin to prevent mould and mildew during transportation. I don’t want our skin coming into contact with that. Also, there are cases of skin infections/lice being passed on when trying on new clothes that others have tried on. It’s a no from me 🤢!

I hand-wash new clothes first time, just in case the colour runs. The water is often really filthy, makes me wonder about the state of the place where they were made

I am too. I'm not fussy about much (I don't often buy new clothes and I rarely wash second hand stuff before wearing it) but I don't want formaldehyde-saturated fabric next to my skin.

Everything new, whether packaged or not, should be washed before wearing: bedding, towels, school uniform, underwear, socks, etc.

I forgot to add OP, don’t worry about wearing the unwashed new dress. I will admit, I have done it a few times when I know the item won’t dry in time for when I need to wear it. It’s minimal contact.

I always wash new clothes, goodness knows who’s tried them on. I also wash new towels because they don’t seem to dry you properly unless they’re washed first and new bedding because it’s creased with being in the packaging.

It never crosses my mind to wash new clothes.

I wash pants before wearing them, but rarely anything else unless it's from an op shop.

Always wash bedlinen before first use. Doesn't everybody?

What do washers think will happen if they come into contact with unwashed clothes? Unless the trier-onner smeared themselves in shit or anthrax beforehand, I don’t get why it’s an issue.

I don't want chemicals and rat piss next to my skin so I wash. Just a quick wash with that dettol additive stuff

I know someone who wore new pants before washing them. Got run over by a bus the next day. Keep your wits about you.

Never in my life have a washed new clothes. In fact I try and go as long as possible before washing a new top i.e if I wore it to a lunch for a couple of hours I would change as soon as I got in, hang it in front of an open window, give it an air and put it back in the wardrobe. As soon as you wash it it never looks as good.

See. Another good reason to always wash clothes before wearing.

I've never washed new clothes. I have seen someone react badly to unwashed new clothes so it depends how sensitive your skin is.

Charity shops don't wash the clothes, the most they get is a quick steam to get the creases out.

You don’t want chemicals next to your skin so you wash it in what?

Dettol: Contains: <5% Non-Ionic Surfactants, Disinfectant, Parfum, Contains Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citronellol and Hexyl Cinnamal, Per 100g Liquid contains 2.40 g Dialkyl (C8-10) Dimethylammonium Chloride / Benzyl-C12-18-Alkyldimethyl Chloride

You'll be fine.

I wash new clothes, because I have worked in warehouses that process clothes on their way to places like Sainsbury's, but not even I'd panic about a one-off dress that had been hanging in your wardrobe for months, and was hanging up in Sainsbury's before you bought it.

Always.
Chemicals used during the manufacturing process can cause allergic contact dermatitis
Urea formaldehyde is often used to prevent wrinkles in the garment which is why they look so good when new
Regardless of where you buy your clothes they could have been touched by a plethora of strangers.
I wouldn't want those strangers touching my skin

That's grim 🤢