Buying new clothes is exciting, and once your order has arrived, it’s natural to want to try the clothes immediately.
But wait, is it right to wear new clothes before washing them?
Most people do it many times.
But if you are a self-conscious person, you may feel uncomfortable.
So, Is It EVER OK to Wear New Clothes You Just Bought Online?
It is not recommended to wear clothes you have just bought without washing them, even if you bought them online. Dermatologists argue that they may be unsanitary because you never know whether someone else has worn them only because you bought them online. Plus, the packaging and transporting can make them dirty before they are delivered to you.
Wearing a new set of clothes without washing them can have serious consequences. They can lead to scabies, lice, fungus and skin irritation.
Three Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Wear New Clothes Before Washing Them First
We all love to have new clothes, so you naturally want to try them out straight after getting them. But this can lead to bad infections and other problems.
Here are some reasons you must clean new clothes, whether store-bought or purchased online.
1. The Outfits May Have Pathogens and Germs
Once the manufacturer makes the clothes, it undergoes various transport modes before reaching your favorite store.
It’s almost impossible to track down where the cloth was made, where it was stored and how it reached the store.
Now, since it undergoes various stages before reaching the consumer, it’s highly likely that your outfit can come in contact with various pathogens and germs.
This is why it’s crucial you clean your new clothes before wearing them.
2. Some People Might Have Already Tried Them On
I know you are probably thinking, how is it possible for an online store?
Well, remember that you don’t know what happens behind the internet.
Plus, if the online store has a physical location as well, chances are several people have tried the clothes on display to see whether they fit.
Therefore, the best way to protect yourself is by making sure that you wash them.
If you don’t, you may experience skin irritation, itchiness, redness and even dermatitis if you wear new clothes without cleaning them.
3. Manufacturers Use Chemicals in Colors
Clothes are made using fabrics that mostly undergo several chemical treatments before becoming complete.
Also, chemicals are used to dye the clothes in specific colors. When these chemicals come in contact with your skin, they can cause a reaction.
So you may experience itching and redness. Also, when you sweat on the clothes, it can make the dye leach out of them. If this happens, the dye can react to your skin and cause allergies.
How to Wash New Clothes In Six Steps
Step 1: Determine the Clothes That Can Be Washed
It’s not advisable to wash some clothes like jeans when they are new
. In this case, all you can do is disinfect them to protect your skin. But most clothes can be washed when they are still new.
Step 2: Remove Unwanted Objects
Most clothes come with tags, which are usually of two types.
There is a label tag that describes the product or its brand.
Then, there are security tags. It’s easy to spot and remove label tags as they mostly hand off the outfit and are fixed with a plastic clip.
But security tags are not apparent and are mostly hidden in the areas of the fabric.
Therefore, check your new clothing thoroughly to see whether you can locate and remove them.
Remove price tags using scissors. Remember to remove the plastic clip from the clothes as well.
After, set the tags aside. Please don’t throw them as you may wish to return them to the clothing after washing.
Step 3: Read the Washing Label
Before you wash your clothes, please read the care instructions on the care label.
Doing that helps you know how to handle the clothing. For example, some clothes can be machine washed while others require hand washing.
Plus, you can also learn whether the cloth needs warm or cold water when cleaning it.
Step 4: Separate Clothes That Are Likely to Leach Dye
Manufacturers often indicate washing instructions for a garment to prevent your new clothes from losing color during cleaning.
You can check whether your new garment will likely leach dye by checking the care label.
But for clothes that don’t have a care label, you can ask your salesperson about this information.
Most natural fibers like cotton and wool leach dye as compared to synthetic materials like nylon, acrylic and polyesters.
Step 5: Load Your Clothes
Once you have separate clothes that can be washed together, you need to load them into your machine, that is, if they are machine washable.
When doing that, please be careful not to overload. You need to allow ample space for the clothes to move in the machine so that all dirt gets removed.
Adding the right amount of detergent into your wash is also essential. Please check the detergent bottle or box for the correct amount.
Step 6: Set Your Machine to Wash
Choose the proper cycle setting depending on the cloth’s care label, then start washing.
Once the cycle ends, please unload it immediately or within two hours.
Remember that wet clothing can easily bleed color out.
Therefore, please ensure you take your clothing from the washing machine ASAP.
Also, it’s advisable to hang the garments on the line to allow them to air dry.
But you can put them in the dryer if the care label instructions allow you to.
If an outfit needs to be hand-washed, please do so. Don’t attempt to put such an item in your washing machine.
Instead, fill your basin with water and dishwashing liquid, then soak the clothes for about ten minutes. Then after, drain the water and rinse the outfit in cold water.
When hand washing, please also remember to separate the clothes by color.
Final Thoughts
Although you may not experience any life-threatening health conditions when you wear new clothes before washing them, cleaning your new garments is still a good idea.
It’s good personal hygiene to wash new outfits before wearing them.
Plus, if you leave them unwashed, they may not effectively soak sweat, which will irritate you more.
If you buy clothes for a baby, please wash them first since their skin is more sensitive.
References
https://www.instyle.com/fashion/wash-new-clothes-please
https://www.self.com/story/should-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them