New Clothes-Wash Before Wearing or Not - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Skippy · #1 05-14-2009, 07:51 PM

When I was a kid, my mom always insisted that new clothes be washed before they were worn. There is also a passage to that effect in the Seabee Combat Handbook. However, as I tend to be lazy, I just take the tags off new clothes and wear them. What does everyone else do?

The Clk Man · #2 05-14-2009, 07:56 PM

I was always told to wash before wearing, but what do I know, I buy all my clothes at the Flea Market.

davestlouis · #3 05-14-2009, 08:17 PM

Absolutely wash them...they smell funny and feel funny if they're not washed. I was told at one point that imported clothes can have insecticide residue on them from the manufacturing and transportation process too...not sure if it's true, but more reason to wash them.

raymr · #4 05-14-2009, 08:20 PM

You also want to avoid that "fresh out of the box" look.

Chad300tdt · #5 05-14-2009, 08:26 PM

I always wash before wearing to remove whatever stuff is in there from during manufacturing. On top of that, you never know who touched it and with what.

Washing new clothes before putting them on an infant is non-negotiable ... at least for me.

The Clk Man · #6 05-14-2009, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad300tdt

I always wash before wearing to remove whatever stuff is in there from during manufacturing. On top of that, you never know who touched it and with what.

Washing new clothes before putting them on an infant is non-negotiable ... at least for me.

So you are saying that you wear baby clothes?

Mistress · #7 05-14-2009, 09:11 PM

Unless it's something from the second hand store I don't wash before wearing and I'm still living and not scratching. I try to conserve those precious resources like quarters for the laundry, soap and water! Now the cats cloths thats a different story.

MTI · #8 05-14-2009, 09:34 PM

Coming from a retail background, I can say that there are pros and cons to washing and not washing newly purchased garments. The vast majority of the buyers for retail stores in the US are careful to specify dyes, finishes and fabric treatments that are not going to send customers into anaphalaxic shock. Training salesclerks in the use of Epi-pens just doesn't work. So, for the most part, wearing the clothes off the rack is pretty safe.

Caveat . . . when customer returns come in, with or without tags, the merchandise is neither sanitized or given more than a cursory inspection before a replacment tag is put on the garment, refolded and put back out for sale. In other words, they really don't know where its been . . .

And yes, why is there a Permanent Press setting on irons?

Mistress · #9 05-14-2009, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTI

Coming from a retail background, I can say that there are pros and cons to washing and not washing newly purchased garments. The vast majority of the buyers for retail stores in the US are careful to specify dyes, finishes and fabric treatments that are not going to send customers into anaphalaxic shock. Training salesclerks in the use of Epi-pens just doesn't work. So, for the most part, wearing the clothes off the rack is pretty safe.

Caveat . . . when customer returns come in, with or without tags, the merchandise is neither sanitized or given more than a cursory inspection before a replacment tag is put on the garment, refolded and put back out for sale. In other words, they really don't know where its been . . .

And yes, why is there a Permanent Press setting on irons?

So people can feel like their getting more bang for their buck with a new iron?

mgburg · #10 05-15-2009, 02:30 AM

I'm seeing more "experienced" clothes showing up back on the rack...particularly after a weekend of "fun" going on in town...labels being "pinned" or stapled back on the pants (they were originally sewn on and had the threads removed...some, very sloppy...)

Those just get passed over...I don't want someones' butt-fudge riding on my whities...(the kids today ride their clothes "raw" (no underwear)), so when you're even trying on clothes, you don't know how close you're getting to the previous shopper...

I'm really not a germaphobe, but today, with all the "bugs" and crud going around, and the general overall lack of hygiene (people not washing hands after glanding in the washroom and such), I'm starting to think it might be better to start buying the fabric right off the bolt and start making my own clothes...jeesh!

Mike D · #11 05-15-2009, 07:29 AM

I wash 'em. It's probably just a hold over from the "blue jeans" phase where those new pants were so stiff you had to have somebody else pick anything up you had dropped.

SwampYankee · #12 05-15-2009, 07:48 AM

I've been known to just throw them on but I generally don't like that "new clothes smell".

cmbdiesel · #13 05-15-2009, 08:41 AM

Geez, question like that highlights the 'things-we-take-for-granted' part of being married. I had to ask my wife....I haven't bought any of my own clothes in 7 years....She told me that they do get washed first. Heck, she even washes spring/summer clothes when they come out of storage bin.