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? 😅

This isn't as true as you think. Clothes do have alot of chemicals on them so much so that primark put stickers on their garments to highlight their clothes are checked and at acceptable levels . If you want to limit your contact then wash new clothes. Not washing the odd garment is unlikely to be an issue or a non event 🤣

Same. Not changing after over fifty years!

Erm what is the issue?!

I like wearing brand new clothes straight from the shop. Maybe I have a penchant for rat piss 🤷🏼‍♀️

I never wear anything until it has been washed.

They’ll have been dropped on the floor, bundled into sacks, shoved in shipping containers, taken to another warehouse, dropped on more floors, then put on display where God knows who has tried them on. I haven’t been to any factories abroad, but I have been to factories in the UK and I wouldn’t sweep my clothes across the floor in them, so I’m working on the basis that I wouldn’t sweep them across the floor in any factories abroad either. They’re often a bit chemically smelling and they can feel a bit stiff sometimes as well. They don’t feel particularly clean or very nice to me.

I have never in my life washed new clothes before wearing them, and nothing bad has ever happened as a result. Some people on here clearly don't have enough to do to fill their lives.

It's not about "feeling clever". It's about highlighting the level of scientific illiteracy and hysteria.

We are surrounded by chemicals all the time - something being a chemical doesn't make it bad.

This. I understand how in theory you could come into contact with nasty chemicals but in practice I have never once washed something before wearing it.

What do people think is going to happen?

In the unlikely event that someone has once wiped their nose on a dress which you then later buy any microbes left on it will long since have died.

Ditto also flapping about “chemicals”. Most fast fashion is full of chemicals, produced using chemicals and packaged with chemicals. And the detergent you wash it with is also full of chemicals.

Its completely unscientific neurosis.

To state that chemicals used in the manufacturing and transportation of textiles have no detrimental effect on health, dismissing concerns as hysteria while providing no evidence to back that up is the definition of scientific illiteracy and indeed is very Bad Science.

I washed new clothes for my children when they were newborn babies. Other than that, I'll just put them straight on.

I think I’ve worked out why some people seem to stink of hospitals / funeral parlours. Eau de Dettol.

So do those who wash clothes before wearing ever try things on to see if they fit/look good first? And they’re not washed?

And if you don’t try on, and wash first, then you can’t return it because it’s been washed and most likely smells of your detergent?

What do people think is going to happen? Bloody hell some of you are taking this as a personal attack that other people choose to do something different than you.

Why do you think anyone is worried about something happening? Why can’t we just prefer the feeling and the smell of freshly washed clothes. What do you think will happen if you wash your clothes before you wear them? Nothing? You just prefer the feeling of unwashed clothes? Well who would have thought it? It seems different people have different preferences.

Why do you think anyone is worried about something happening
Because, as every time this topic comes up, plenty of posters clearly are worried about reacting to formaldehyde, rat piss and general filth. The scaremongering is the same every time and it does, not surprisingly, induce eyerolls in those of us unmoved by said scaremongering.

Is it worrying about reacting to rat piss and general filth? Or is it just thinking that it’s a bit minging and preferring knowing that they’re clean?

Nobody is saying that any of you are disgusting or suggesting that you have dubious hygiene standards because it’s not something that bothers you.

You don’t know where the dress has been stored, or where it’s been, or the chemicals used in manufacturing

I do whenever possible but because I swear I got ringworm from trying clothes on.

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

3 separate comments just from the first three pages. Sounds a lot more like worrying than just a preference to me.

Also someone who has never washed new clothes before wearing except maybe towels as I have been told they dry you better after the 1st wash. My dm also never did this. She lived to early nineties. There is nothing nicer than getting into bed with brand new bedding. Apparently Jackie Onassis had brand new sheets on her bed every day and I doubt they were washed 1st. My dm I remember telling me this is something she envied.

Apparently Jackie Onassis had brand new sheets on her bed every day and I doubt they were washed 1st.

Because having brand new sheets every day is not insane but washing them first is?

This has literally never crossed my mind. I love new clothes..most items are not as nice once they have been washed

Rarely wash new clothes before wearing, did for young babies.
I do wash new bedding and towels before using them, smell nicer then.

I would usually wash things I was going to wear in close proximity to my skin, maybe not so much jumpers, skirts, coats etc.

Some foul chemicals are used in dying and processing fabrics, most clothes are made in the developing world where factory hygiene can be poor, plus they've been transported thousands of miles and stored goodness knows where, for goodness knows how long. Then they go out onto the shop floor to be touched, fondled and tried on (although this bit is the least of my worries, taking into account the above).

clothing , fabrics,stored in huge amounts so rat and bug killing is needed
are bad for you .you children
a truck of jeans stolen the jeans were killing people

https://time.com/5631818/wash-new-clothes/

Quite often new clothes have a coating put on them which you can have a reaction to, as it's full of chemicals

I only found this out a few years ago myself and now wash new clothes thar will be in direct contact with my skin

Well I'm guessing that those of us who don't wash new clothes haven't had this reaction.

Wow. This is a new one on me.

I love the crisp newness of new clothes. Don't want to wash the 'new' off as another poster put it.

Chemicals are everywhere. Like everywhere.

Rats piss?
God alive.

If I can't see, smell, feel, rats piss on my lovely new item - do I just guess it's been pissed on by a rat ? And worry about that?

Nah . it's fine.