Has a study ever been done?
 

As to the levels of "uncleanness" between "new" items in a regular store and "used" items found in secondary markets (yard/garage/estate sales and thrift/consignment shops)?

Doubtful. Interesting, though, when you consider how much the clothing and shoes are tried on, and all the other goods handled by all and sundry, Probably not a lot of difference.

I don't thing the giver thinks to disinfect items donated. That is the first thing I would do after purchase

It's been my understanding that fabric and clothing shipped from foreign countries are packed in formaldehyde to take care of any bugs that might be hitching a ride. That plus popover's.
comment re people trying on clothing that may or may not have bathed make you wonder. I did ask at several Goodwill stores in the area if they cleaned the clothing before they put it out and they said no. Can't speak to estate or consignment stores.

That's interesting - never thought about that. I am not much of a shopper, new or used items.

I think there are different kinds of contamination. There are all kinds of chemical contamination on new fabric and clothing. These are probably worse than the clothing you might buy at the second hand level. When I am lucky to pick up fabric at a yard sale or 2nd hand shop it goes right into the washer. Lots of people like to use old shirts, ties, sheets, etc. in quilts. I would always wash these before using them.

I guess I wash everything before I use it, even when I buy new clothing.

Anything I purchase gets washed before I use it, including new!!

I wash or disinfect anything I buy at a thrift store, who knows what cooties are on it.

Years ago we were helping our Son and his then wife pack and move. She had several boxes labeled "donate". I went through them and re-labeled it things for the landfill. She had stained clothes, broken toys, un-mated socks. I told her if you didn't want it, they definitely wouldn't.

I don't know much about it but the one Goodwill that my cousin used to manage, had a washer & dryer & they washed a lot of clothing items & other washable things. Also there is this second hand store at a town near by me & they also have a washer & dryer. I don't know if they wash everything or not because I have never asked them but I know they wash some things because I was in their store a few times & one of the times the washer & dryer was running. Otherwise I wouldn't even of known they had a washer & dryer. Although I never bought anything at this store I still would of washed everything at home.

I knew of a large thrift store that DID wash or dry clean ALL the clothes they sold. Ironed them too, if needed. Their prices reflected all that work and as far as I know, they NEVER put anything on sale or marked it down.

I usually buy jeans at the thrift store, because I just use them for gardening, I always wash them before I wear them...I pay $3 - $5. no sense paying $35 - $50.. They do wash some of the clothes but just to make sure, I like the smell of my own detergent.

Because I usually read QB late at night, Sharon, some of your Brambles give me a headache! LOL!
I try not to hold on the questions when I get up from my chair for bed or I'd never fall asleep! :rolleyes: You have one of the most thought full (philosophical?) brains I know; wish we could visit in person. :)

Jan in VA

i wash all cloths before i wear them. once at Walmart, i saw a flea on a garment i was planning on trying on. of course i didn't. Icky!!

I wash before I donate, and wash what I purchase from thrift stores. When we moved to SC, I bought what I call 'hard' furniture from thrift stores, but nothing that was stuffed or fabric and could not be washed. These days I don't buy too much from thrift stores, but I still donate.

I clean up donation items as well as I can before I send them on their way.

Most of the clothing I've seen at yard sales looks and smells clean.

Occasionally someone uses a detergent that is very strongly scented, but I have never come across a garment with body odors. I did buy some jeans that smelled of detergent and smoke. They got washed again.

I volunteer at our local thrift store and we wash and dry most all of the clothing, bedding, stuffed toys, etc. Some things people donate go right to the trash. Why do they think anyone would want that awful stuff? I always shop at yard sales and wash everything. One of my "friends" always brags about how expensive her clothes are, when I tell how what I pay for mine (just as nice!) she rolls her eyes and mutters Ehhh. Anyway I consider myself sooo much smarter to pay 50cents for a blouse instead of 50dollars. :)

I guess someone has to be "the original owner."

I always donate clean things and wash what I buy in thrift stores. I don't always wash things new from the store. Sometimes you can just tell the way they are packaged or hung that no one has tried them on. I wash everything after I wear it, so that's soon enough for me. As for chemicals, we don't appear to be sensitive to them, and being elderly now, I guess there haven't been consequences of being exposed. There are so many ways to be exposed. If we get new carpet, some paints, flooring, etc. it all outgasses. And we live with it unless we are severely compromised by it. People we encounter may be wearing something they didn't wash first and we are in close proximity. So I guess I'm not going to worry about it. I know I'm clean and my things are too. I have a cousin who brags about herself being "Mrs. Clean" and how often she washes towels, sheets, dusts, etc. She is sicker than I am always catching a cold, rash, etc. So hard to tell if it is the clothes, the chemicals, a germ not related to them unless someone has a sensitivity or allergy. Mr. Stitchnripper has a sensitivity to dairy (not lactose intolerant and not an allergy) that gives him migraines. If this were a chemical sensitivity, our lives would be different.

Hey Stitchripper, I have seen studies where "over cleaning" is actually bad for your health. I grew up on a farm with animals, dirt, etc. and a one-room school with a water bucket and dipper as did many of our generation. We kept our house as Mom used to say "Clean enough to be healthy, and dirty enough to be happy." My MIL house was a museum where the grandkids could not touch, or even stay (we always got a hotel). Sometimes Moderation is good. Yes, bearisgray I have been the original owner and hope when I donate it someone else appreciates it too. :) :) :)

LenaBeena, yes indeed. I think we have become overly concerned with how clean things are. Of course if someone is allergic or has a sensitivity, that is a different story, must be careful. I remember when my kids were little we didn't isolate them against germs. Diseases, yes, of course, but not just regular living. We didn't have Purell back then and somehow they grew up okay.

I've heard the same thing. My mother wasn't overly concerned about us getting germs. I remember her telling a story about letting me sit and play in a mud puddle when I was a toddler and the lady next door coming out and telling her she shouldn't do that because of germs. My mother said "A few germs never hurt anybody. How else will she build up any immunity?" I think she was right.

And, yes, someone has to be the original owner. I donate a lot of clothes just because I'm tired of them or they are out of style/don't fit/just don't like anymore. I always hope that someone else buys them who will appreciate them.

I think I would bet that a freshly washed garment purchased at a yard sale where the garage is immaculate would be as "clean" or "cleaner" than almost any garment found in a department store.