The only things I'll wear without washing first, are (sealed) packaged white socks. . . oh, and (packaged) shower caps! It's not so much a matter of germs, as it is dirt, sizing, and other people's sweat, etc. Plus I HATE the "new" smell in clothes. :thumbdown:

I'm usually not particularly phobic about garage/yard sale items - if the premises and sellers are tidy and clean - I'm not going to worry about the clothing that is available at that site - probably less than I fret about what is in the stores!

I wash all of it. But my daughter has severe contact allergies (with possible anaphylaxis) so for us, used items are more of a risk.

I taught my kids to always wash their baby clothes before using. They just learned to wash everything before wearing

I wash everything before I wear it. A friend of mine broke out in big, dark red areas on her upper legs and the dermatologist told her it was from formaldehyde. It is in a lot of clothing and even things like mouthwash. She had to wash new jeans 2 or 3 times before she wore them.

One day I was bra shopping. It had a tag on it, but not the size. When I looked at the label for the size, it had a little pilling inside on the elastic band, and the label information was slightly washed out. I took it to the clerk, as it looked as though someone traded it in for a new one! You never know if the garment has been worn and then returned, or where it has been. I also found a pair of shoes I really liked, but when I looked closer, there was mud between the sole and the leather on the shoe, and the heel was a little worn. Someone probably need shoes for a special occasion and then returned them. The clerk said it was dust from the carpet, but it did not come off easily. Didn't buy from that store again, and it is a chain department store. Still makes me shudder!

I wash all of it, retail store purchases or thrift shop. It isn't just about who handled it, but the chemicals they use in the fabric of new items. I can barely stand the smell until I can get it in the washer!

Same here, wash before wearing.

I wash every thing before I use or wear it. Lord only knows who or what touched it or crawled on it. Whether its at Kohl's-WalMart or your favorite used store they all have mice and bugs in their store rooms. And this goes for grocery store items as well.

I wash new or used.