People who don’t wash new clothes before wearing them

looksee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119552943#Comment_119552943

Well mine wasn't, nor any of my friends (who mostly lasted about as long as I did). So long as they came back finished and looking clean there were no questions asked.

The Mighty Quinn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119550029#Comment_119550029

Think about all the steps they've gone through from thread to your shopping bag. Not washing them might not kill you, but would giving them a wash beforehand kill you, either?

I appreciate what you're saying, and it may make me disgusting, but I don't really mind. We live in a world where we all huddle up against each other on public transport, or in concert venues or nightclubs etc. There's all manners of 'germs' out there that we're routinely exposed to. We're getting into the territory here where you'd probably support people insisting on taking shoes/boots off at the front door in case they drag god-knows-what in through the house from footpaths outside? I'm of a mind where unless it's visibly soiled, or clearly smells unclean, it won't be put in the wash. I have so much washing to keep on top of and get dried as it is, adding in new clothes to the mix seems even more daft.

Each to their own.

New Home

Maybe it's only a matter of time, nobody used to find disgusting having carpet in the bathroom, including around the toilet, either.

whatchagonnado

What's are these other people doing in the changing room that puts their sweat onto the clothes? And what's wrong with other peoples sweat?

The Mighty Quinn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119554087#Comment_119554087

Yeah that's fairly sickening to be honest. The house I bought a few years ago had a thick red carpet in the ensuite. If it was left to its own devices it probably could have crawled itself down the stairs and into the skip.

Esel

I don't wash clothes from the charity shop before wearing them. Am I doomed?

Chorcai

Worked in clothes shops, yes wash the clothes - all sorts come in and try on clothes 🤮

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553203#Comment_119553203

Same here. Nobody checked the home. Neither for homeknit finishing or shoe interlacing. Both glorified slave labour really but a vital stipend at the time for many homes. I don't think anybody caught any diseases from the practice though.

Graces7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119555853#Comment_119555853

Well, if the charity shop is like the one i use the volunteers wash everything very well

Graces7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553203#Comment_119553203

We were all visited with the first order. It was sensible enough.

Leg End Reject

A home visit isn't required to smell smoke off clothes that were in the home.

If charity shops are so clean why is there a smell in them? Wash the clothes before you wear them.

New Home

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119560113#Comment_119560113

I got a pair of thick, mustard curtains for next to nothing in a charity shop. They were really nice. When I took them out of the bag, my hands were black. I stuck them in the washing machine, the amount of dirt that came out was unbelievable. They came out a couple of shades lighter that they were when I bought them.

Not all clothes/fabrics you get in charity shops would be like that, but I don't think most people bother washing their donations before they hand them in and not all charity shops would have washing machines/driers available or would bother washing stuff they get.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119561567#Comment_119561567

I'm flabbergasted that people don't wash second hand clothes, I don't believe for a minute that everything is fully washed or dry cleaned before sale. The cost alone of launderettes would make it impossible, and the idea of laundry facilities in a back room is hilarious.

laoisgem

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119561567#Comment_119561567

Absolutely but I know of someone who donated a communion suit. It would have cost her 20 to have it professionally cleaned, she re-bought it for a tenner after been dry-cleaned by the charity shop.

New Home

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119561589#Comment_119561589

I have seen one shop with the washing machine on the go, I did think it was pretty much the exception.

And that person with the communion suit is shameless.

looksee

They were taking a chance with the communion suit, sometimes it takes a while to sort things and everything does not automatically stay in the shop where it is donated, so it could have been whisked off to another shop.

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058260717/people-who-don-t-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing-them

Lol, yeah, wash the new clothes, in a washing machine, with washing detergent, and fabric conditioner that all contain a myriad of chemicals in them....

How about this. You go to the clothes shop. You find clothes you like, and buy the ones that don't smell?

I'm a man so it's safe to say that 99% of all the clothes I have ever bought, were never tried on before I bought them. Girls are different I suppose

Also, the germs that make people sick, tend to not survive very long outside of the human body, so even if a hundred people tried on your bra before you bought it, the likelihood of getting sick from wearing those clothes before washing them, is very low.

It that wasn't true, you'd be taking your life in your hands every time you touched a handle on a door into a public building.

mrslancaster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119536442#Comment_119536442

+1

Always thought everyone washed or steamed new clothes before wearing them, the same for bedlinen, towels, crockery etc., everything really. Never bought clothes from a charity shop but the thoughts of wearing charity shop clothes without washing them first...😱

New Home

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119562391#Comment_119562391

If you sterilise manure it may not have any germs left but it's still manure. I also get the feeling that people don't get how washing machines work.

Graces7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553500#Comment_119553500

Excellent post... all in proportion.

Graces7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119561666#Comment_119561666

The only charity shop I have used in recent years was in Westport, attached to and supporting the local Meals On Wheels, which was in the same complex. It was clean and the ladies who ran it did an excellent job. No smell . And the same with the nearest Vincent de Paul shop in Ballina. And another who would not sell nightwear at all. Another in Donegal Town did house clearances, and everything there was clean and fresh.

Tha lady re the communion suit may not have had the money to get it cleaned.

But as others say, each to their own.

Given we shed an enormous amount of skins which transfer easy. Makes you wonder about all the different DNA your wearing.

Deeec

Those of you that wash all your new clothes - I take it you don't have children and your only washing your own clothes.

In my house washing my family's actual dirty laundry, drying, ironing and sorting takes up so much time. I usually have 2 loads per day every day. No way would I be bothered washing clean clothes and I or my family have never suffered any adverse affects from not washing new clothes.

All you are doing is giving yourself an extra chore.

Another question for you. - how do you cope with dry cleaned clothes? Dry cleaning uses harsh chemicals and yes staff in dry cleaners do touch the clothes - Do you wash your dry cleaned clothes?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119554094#Comment_119554094

Ah now, sweat left on clothes is a breeding ground for bacteria. If I bought a new item of clothing with a bang of sweat off it that I didn't notice until I got home (it happened once), into the washing machine it would go. A person wouldn't have to be doing anything in the changing room when trying it on, they could just be smelling sweaty from not washing that day/not using deodorant.

New Home

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119563057#Comment_119563057

No, but like I said before, most of the dry-cleaned clothes aren't in direct contact with the skin and I always air them very well before wearing them. Whether you have kids or not has no impact on how many people make up your household. And I'd rather forgo the ironing than forgo the washing.

I doubt many people have died by eating food where they found someone else's pubes, or from the carpet in the bathroom, but it's still gross. Would you put banknotes in your mouth, for instance?

Deeec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119563080#Comment_119563080

What you have said re kids in your post makes no sense- the more kids in the household means more washing that has to be done. I would have thought that is obvious.

Put simply - more people in house = busy washing machine with washing actual dirty clothes. So why make life harder by washing clean clothes.

Of course I would wash something I am going to ingest. I don't eat my clothes though.

So you are saying your dry cleaned clothes never touch your skin.🤦‍♀️😂

Graces7

We grew up with a scrubbing board and a mangle. Small fingers had to be careful... And a washing line.. Second childhood now.

Mimon

Haven't read but in a post pandemic World this standard of thread has reached 4 pages, holy fk everyone who has posted🤣

New Home

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119563107#Comment_119563107

You could have disable adults in the house, elderly relatives, adults who do work where their clothes get very soiled, etc. Kids aren't the only ones generating lots of washing.

Dry cleaned clothes (e.g. coats, jackets, etc) don't tend to stay in close contact to your skin for prolonged periods of time like a shirt or underwear would. Trousers probably would.

Quantum Erasure

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119532027#Comment_119532027

i'm glad I opened this thread, just for this post