Wash purchased clothing before wearing?
 

Since in the MAIN forum the question of pre wash, dry, starch, iron fabric was brought up again, and so many do the above because of allergies, "chemical smell" of new fab, handling by unknown hands before purchase, etc., I wondered if that same rule holds true for clothing, linens,whatever purchased that can be washed, is washed.... Me, ah, no, not if purchased new....if I do buy anything at resale shops, it will get soap and water...but I do not buy clothing there, just "hard" things, maybe..........just wondering...

I would wash anything that might not be new and clean.

I wash everything that was not purchased new from the store.

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*** I wash everything. I have allergies.
*** Sometime new clothes make me itch.
*** If really dark colors they will sometimes fade on my underwear.
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Alas, I do wash new garments immediately after purchase. The last time I handed my husband a brand new shirt and asked him to wear it, he ended up with a rash and red welts wherever the fabric touched his skin. He was miserable for three days and so was I with his complaining!

So - items that are "new" and purchased from a retail store have been handled less and are more "sanitary" or handled by healthier/"classier" people than those items that are in a resale store or at a yard sale?

I always wash clothing purchased from stores prior to wearing them. I never wash fabric prior to piecing.

I never wash fabric except for flannel and I have never washed anything new from the store. I guess I am not sensitive to whatever chemicals or handling the items have had from manufacture to my house.

...so to go further...if it must be dry cleaned, you do that too before wearing?

It's probably a good idea to run new clothing through the dryer at a moderately high heat just in case any bugs - like bedbugs - hitch hiked into the store with a customer and took a ride to a new home (yours) on your newly purchased clothing. My dryer is right next to the garage, so I can conveniently do that before the clothes gets in the house.

Anything fabric item frome the thrift store is washed and dried before it gets into the house.I don't know where it was before the thrift store and so many of the items are "scented" (a) via the 'air fresheners" that can be bought through any store and placed in an electric outlet in your home, (b) colognes used by the former owner. I am particularly sensitive to fragrances; not allergic according to my Dr, just 'sensitive'.

The air fresheners creep me out - breathing all those fragrant chemicals all day long doesn't seem like it would be good for me.

I always launder new clothes before wearing- you never know who may have tried them on, or how many hands were on them. Packaged items like socks, under ware, some shirts still may have sizing, starch, or some other chemical on them....yup, everything gets washed. My hubby bought a shirt one time ( packaged) and put it on right away- broke out in a horrible rash that took weeks to clear up. You just never know what might be on those garments or who/ what has been in contact with them. I might not always prewash fabric but I always launder clothing regardless of where it came from

I have never worked in a sewing factory - but a neighbor that worked in a sewing factory making panties - she says that it is a MUST for her to wash new clothing before wearing it.

My sister worked at a sewing factory once. She said AlWAYS was clothes before wearing them. You don't know who made them. And all the lint and bugs in the factory was not what you want to wear.

I always wash new underwear first because when I was little my friend's grandma talked about the bugs.

I always wash all new--or used--clothing---my sister worked in retail for many years and they were encouraged to put on clothing from the store, tuck in tags, and then rehang at the end of shift--this was to get people to notice new lines and see how to accessorize. also some people do this and then return the clothing for refunds! So yes, I wash!

I wash anything that is washable that I buy before I wear it even if I bought it new. "New" clothes are still handled by many people before you get them and with a lot of clothing being made overseas and in third world countries, it bothers me. Its not like they are going to wear plastic gloves and peoples hands do sweat.

Yes, I wash all clothing-new or used. No telling what could be on them.

Always have. I don't buy clothing that needs dry cleaning.

I always wash new clothes before I wear them because I have no way of knowing what was on the hands and body of the people who touched them and/or tried them on before I purchased them.

I wash everything before wearing, no matter where it came from. I used to work with a girl who got a fungal infection on her skin (across her shoulders and upper back, up the back of her neck, and into her hair) from time to time, and it was very hard for her to get rid of. She had medication for it, but also had to simultaneously wash every article of clothing she owned and every piece of bedding in very hot water in order to clear up the rash---sometimes more than once during the length of time she was on medication, since she could reinfect herself with the fungus by putting on her own clothes. That means she may have gotten the initial infection from clothes tried on for size in a store, which means you can get that infection by trying on clothes in the store which were previously tried on by another shopper with the rash. Imagine having to wash every piece of clothing you own and every piece of bedding. It was awful for her, and this rash recurred on her several times during the years we worked together.

-----I took my 90 yrs young Dad out to buy new pants the other day ago-he will not try anything on at the store - he does not want to end up on the ''Walmart Web'' The next morning he tried on a pair and they fit so he left them on no matter how much I told him that they needed washed at least a couple times-they were that stiff- he said they are brand new and clean. By lunch time he was in his old pants and wanted to know how to make the burning feeling go away from his knees up. I got him a bottle of Corn Huskers to apply -of course this is a crazy old wives tale remedy-but after saying I'd go get my youngest sister-he went in and within 10 minutes he says 'OK you were right about the pants and the corn stuff'' I ended up washing them 2prs of pants 3 times-then I poured a 1/2 bottle of Downey in the 4th time and let them soak for 1 1/2 days -after the5th complete washing they stopped bleeding and soften up. I don't think I've ever worked so hard to make new clothing wearable.

If it has to be dry cleaned, I don't buy it. I always wash any new clothes we buy, also any new sheets and towels, but never any of my quilt fabric.

Interesting.

I remember those stiff denim jeans that had to be washed several times - back in an old Maytag wringer washing machine - before they were soft enough to wear.

They always had to be washed with dark blues or separately because they never quit losing color.

Can you imagine working in the factories where the fabric was woven and the jeans sewn?

I have allergies so I wash everything as that is what my doctor told me to do as new fabric from overseas has formaldehyde in it to protect it from bugs and moisture on the ship in being shipped anyway that is what my doctor told me plus she said many other chemicals I guess it is just not like the days when things were U.S. made

Yep, I wash pretty much anything that comes in the door. Fabric, clothes, sheets. Anything that fits in the washer, gets washed!

Same here - a friend of mine used to work in the HDLee/Vanity Fair factory that we had in our town (now in Mexico) and she has told "horror" stories of what all goes on in the factories. Why use a Kleenex when a pile of blouse fronts are on your table!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

I wash everything I bring into our home before using for whatever the case may be, even linen. Especially from estate sales and thrift stores.

I wash everything I buy (clothing) because like you I don't know what is on them.

I'm not a stickler for washing new clothes except for infants. All infant/toddler new clothes should be washed. At school age I wasn't so fussy. All underwear is washed first.

According to some news shows I watched, all brand new purchased clothes/apparel from any department store should be washed prior to wearing. Even the packaged items need to be. Their research apparently dealt with germs, allergens, etc. It only dealt with washable items.

I remember reading this subject before. One response was that about nine people handle your garment before you buy it. After reading that, I wash my clothes, sheets and towels.

if you only saw what I did at a big box fabric store you would certainly wash before using. The gal was heavily perspiring and wiped herself down with fabric. Luckily one of the clerks saw her. Made her leave then had to cut at least 2 yards off. if the clerks are in doubt they often just send the bolt back with a damage claim. You may want to wash next time.

Store bought clothing I'll wash before I wear it. If it comes out of a package, probably not as I know no one has tried it on. Anything from a thrift/2nd hand store, definitely wash before I wear it.

Kitchen items from 2nd hand stores definitely wash it before I use it.

I don't care where it came from...everything gets washed. My Mother always did it, so I still do!! I notice many clothes "smell"....don't know if it's chemicals or not.

Anything I buy used is always washed. I always wash new sheets, towels, and underwear. New clothing? Usually not, but sometimes it has a funky feel or smell so I wash. I used to have to wash all new items for my daughter and her father. They would break out in hives from something in some items. They could tell by the smell of the clothing.

I wash it brand new from the store, clean from a Thrift store. I want everything totally clean and I don't know where brand new clothes come from and what kind of bugs grow there, wherever! That is one of the only things I am totally paranoid about.

Funny, but when my husband and I bought a "new" car, I had to wash every bit of it, including the seats, (upholstery), carpeting, the trunk, the steering wheel, window winder-uppers, and after the upholstery and floors dried, I sprayed it with a disinfectant. Then and only then was it our car. Is that considered anal???????? Edie

PS - never got sick from a newly purchased car or store bought clothes. I wash my quilts when I am done making them also.

Washing a new car completely, is not anal, but a bit OCD behavior.......but, maybe you mean new to you, if so, I probably would have done the same thing!
I don't wash new clothes or linens, will wash unpackaged kitchen items...actually instructions will state to wash before using. Groceries: of course all fresh produce of any kind. I don't think we want to know about canned items..I know there are strict fed laws, but once in awhile someone finds something in the canned food. I think I'm more concerned about restaurant workers...and hope their sanitary practices and personal hygiene and physical health are good, not to mention the cleanliness of the restaurant equipment and practices.....I think more susceptible of contracting something that way rather than thru fabric, clothes (new)....jmho

I don't think washing items from a resale shop is a sign of class or prejudice about the donors or employees just the simple fact that they may not have not been washed prior to donation, sat in a closet for a long time or from a home with pets. I like the crispness and brighter colors of new clothes so I do not wash before I wear them. However I do wash bath towels, sheets, undergarments do get washed prior to wearing. Also baby clothes when I had one!

All undergarments. All hubbys clothes. He won't wear until washed. I don't generally wash tops for myself prior to wearing, but like a lot of you, everything thing is it's own special situation and we just handle accordingly... Someone asked me if I was all ready for the birth of my new baby (35 years ago) and I said yes, except for washing a new robe my MIL got me... They thought I was crazy. Washing a new item!!!!