Prewash thrift store shirts?

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04-07-2011, 02:03 PM

#21

susanwilley

Senior Member

Join Date: Jan 2011

Location: Glen Burnie, MD

Posts: 927

YESSSSS!!!!! Who knows who or what has been touching them in those stores!! Always wash them first thing!

04-07-2011, 02:20 PM

#22

BrendaY

Super Member

Join Date: Mar 2009

Posts: 1,774

Quote:

Originally Posted by Panther Creek Quilting

Getting ready to cut up some thrift store shirts for a quilt and am wondering should I prewash the shirts. Kinda think that I should but wouldn't they have already be washed and shrunk?

Sheila

I googled "how to clean thrift store clothing" and found numerous ideas.. the one that seemed best to me was to "use an enzyme cleaner along with your detergent". Others said to use vinegar with the detergent, then rinse the items 5 times! There doesn't seem to be an easy way unless you just wash in hot water and put them in the sun to dry.. hope this helps!

04-08-2011, 02:39 AM

#23

Krystyna

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Join Date: Feb 2011

Location: Long Island, NY

Posts: 8,814

YES!!!! One word: bedbugs! :shock:

04-08-2011, 03:00 AM

#24

Aurora

Super Member

Join Date: Dec 2009

Location: Somewhere in Time

Posts: 2,697

Quote:

Originally Posted by Panther Creek Quilting

Getting ready to cut up some thrift store shirts for a quilt and am wondering should I prewash the shirts. Kinda think that I should but wouldn't they have already be washed and shrunk?

Sheila

I always wash the shirts I get. Then I use a seam ripper to take them apart. I remove the buttons and save them.

04-08-2011, 03:26 AM

#25

MissJMac

Senior Member

Join Date: Oct 2010

Location: North Kansas City, MO

Posts: 561

Prewash anything that comes from a thrift shop, just saying...

04-08-2011, 03:29 AM

#26

brushandthimble

Super Member

Join Date: Sep 2009

Location: North of Boston, MA, USA

Posts: 3,524

Before I even read the replies, I would say YES!

04-08-2011, 03:31 AM

#27

ckcowl

Power Poster

Join Date: Feb 2009

Location: Northern Michigan

Posts: 12,861

YES!!! anything you pick up in a thrift shop should be washed as soon as you get it home- you never know what germs/bugs may be in anything used- sometimes people have boxes of clothes/fabrics in their garages for years before donating them-
everything should be washed before being used-for safety sake

Quote:

Originally Posted by Panther Creek Quilting

Getting ready to cut up some thrift store shirts for a quilt and am wondering should I prewash the shirts. Kinda think that I should but wouldn't they have already be washed and shrunk?

Sheila

04-08-2011, 03:40 AM

#28

kuntryquilter

Super Member

Join Date: Jun 2010

Location: Crossville, TN

Posts: 1,078

Mine too. Can't stand the thrift store smell on them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by grann of 6

Quote:

Originally Posted by Panther Creek Quilting

Getting ready to cut up some thrift store shirts for a quilt and am wondering should I prewash the shirts. Kinda think that I should but wouldn't they have already be washed and shrunk?

Sheila

Thrift store stuff goes straight to the washer at my house, and a nice hot dryer.

04-08-2011, 04:57 AM

#29

Lilrain

Super Member

Join Date: May 2010

Location: Washington state

Posts: 4,303

yes

04-08-2011, 04:58 AM

#30

frostbaa

Member

Join Date: Aug 2010

Location: Indianapolis, IN 46241

Posts: 96

You should always wash anything that you bring home as soon as you walk through the door. Those stores can not wash all those clothes, they are just thinking that people would surely wash them before they donate, but you cant be sure of that. There is chance that you could bring critters home in all that stuff. (roachs, bedbugs..). I go straight to the washer before I even take that stuff out of the bag. Just dump it in.