https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Fri, 01 May 2026 16:10:19 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343977 Wed, 04 May 2011 00:38:41 +0000 Isabel 343977@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I do wash underwear and bathing suits. The rest seems to have no rhyme or reason as to whether or not I wash them. Though I sometimes wash colors that might run with cold water and vinegar. I do, however, was all of my children's clothes before they wear them.</p> <p>I had never thought of bed bugs, that may change what I do now. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343975 Wed, 04 May 2011 00:34:42 +0000 bella 343975@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I don't wash anything before wearing but I guess I should. 8) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343960 Wed, 04 May 2011 00:01:34 +0000 Janet 343960@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Pretty much just undies. Thrift store stuff too, but usually that's just a tumble in the dryer with Dryel because most of my thrifted stuff is dresses and skirts. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343958 Tue, 03 May 2011 23:54:22 +0000 lisaflex 343958@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>just about everything gets washed/drycleaned before a wearing</p> <p>darks in a load of just vinegar</p> <p>all others w/ borax or clorx 2 and minimum soap and vinegar as a rinse aid and hung to dry to reduce any shrinkage...and running of colors </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343852 Tue, 03 May 2011 19:35:33 +0000 Scarlet 343852@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>For me it is not that a new garment hasn't been on others, but rather the perfect ironing/steaming that I like. It's the fresh way it looks, not the fresh way it is. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343843 Tue, 03 May 2011 19:13:46 +0000 Angie 343843@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Chuckling @ Julie.</p> <p>Gaylene, it's that "musty thrifted smell" that often accompanies thrifted items than sends me over the edge. Store bought items are sans that odour. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343842 Tue, 03 May 2011 19:05:08 +0000 Gaylene 343842@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Just a little bemused by the seeming contradiction-- people seem inclined to wash "thrifted" items because they have been worn by others, but feel "new" items are different because they have not been worn by others? Given the generous return policies of most retailers these days, wouldn't it be logical to assume that a "new" garment has probably been on more than one body (sometimes for an extended period) before it was purchased by you?</p> <p>Personally, I feel better washing or cleaning anything that I wear next to my skin as I just assume that the garment has been worn by others before it hits my closet. Personal hygiene is highly variable. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343839 Tue, 03 May 2011 18:51:06 +0000 RoseandJoan 343839@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>No I don't wash my clothes before wearing them, they are never quite the same once washed. I did once buy a dress which smelled of someones perfume, I liked the smell so much I tried to track down the scent but to no avail. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343822 Tue, 03 May 2011 17:56:49 +0000 Scarlet 343822@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I am only strict about underwear and bathing suits. I like the pristine state of new clothes and like to enjoy it at least once before washing. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343813 Tue, 03 May 2011 17:17:22 +0000 secretaria 343813@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I always, always wash new under clothes before use but love the newness of clothing! Besides it takes me a while to figure out how they need to be cleaned specifically as the label often is very vague! So by the time a few hours have passed I know how delicate a garment is, whether it crushes or looses shape easily etc and then wash accordingly. </p> <p>But if this is a special favorite piece or more expensive than my regular wear, I would definitely get them professionally laundered the first time. I find that this sort of sets the garment and it's able to retain it's shape and colour for many uses after. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343785 Tue, 03 May 2011 16:37:00 +0000 MsMary 343785@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I only launder undies and thrift store finds. Other than that, I say "no guts, no glory!" </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343757 Tue, 03 May 2011 15:58:07 +0000 thimblelina 343757@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have gotten in the habit of washing almost anything first. L </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343756 Tue, 03 May 2011 15:58:04 +0000 Barbara 343756@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Underwear, swimsuits, jeans and ANYTHING that has a chemical smell to it.<br /> Some new knits don't need washing before wearing.</p> <p>Any Ebay or consignment/thrift shop purchase is thoroughly washed! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343748 Tue, 03 May 2011 15:45:32 +0000 kellygirl 343748@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Underwear, swim suits and denim. Those are really the only things I wash before wearing. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343735 Tue, 03 May 2011 15:18:28 +0000 ButterflyLady 343735@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Always with underwear, and with jeans/trousers that I am planning on having hemmed, as everything always seems to shrink, even if it's only a small amount. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343715 Tue, 03 May 2011 14:42:49 +0000 Angie 343715@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Just underwear and camisoles. </p> <p>A little dirt is good for the immune system. I have the constitution of an ox :)</p> <p>Granted, I do not thrift. I would launder anything I thrifted first. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343699 Tue, 03 May 2011 14:26:46 +0000 Melissa 343699@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I posted this a long time ago, but I wash everything before wearing. Here's why (warning--this link is not for the faint hearted):</p> <p><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/gma-found-clothes-clean/story?id=9482373" rel="nofollow">http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/gma-.....id=9482373</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343682 Tue, 03 May 2011 13:56:31 +0000 rae 343682@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>LIke Joy, I fear bedbugs. I either steam clean or Dryel brand new stuff. High heat is supposed to kill 'em. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343643 Tue, 03 May 2011 08:58:48 +0000 Sparky 343643@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Like HeleenH, I wash or dry clean everything now except for shoes and coats. Starting last summer I began getting itchy red rashes after wearing brand new clothes that hadn't been cleaned. I had always cleaned a lot of my new clothes before wearing, but now I do close to everything. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343633 Tue, 03 May 2011 08:22:23 +0000 Louise 343633@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I wash everything new before wearing for 2 reasons I never know who's handled/ tried it on before and if it shrinks or distorts it can be returned straight away x </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343631 Tue, 03 May 2011 06:57:59 +0000 HeleenH 343631@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yes, I wash just about everyting (coats and shoes are the exceptions I can think of). Because when I don't the stuff they put in it in the stores gives me the itches. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343615 Tue, 03 May 2011 04:54:56 +0000 Steph 343615@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have always washed my underwear before wearing. But for other new clothes, I never did, until the past year. Now, like Joy, I worry about bringing bedbugs home. However, since you can't kill bedbugs by washing them, I actually put my new, dry clothes in the dryer (that's how you kill the bugs). So I guess the answer is still kind of no.</p> <p>If something were used or thrifted, I would absolutely wash it first. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343611 Tue, 03 May 2011 04:26:36 +0000 Diana 343611@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Depends. I always wash underwear before wearing. Always. For other things, sometimes I wash and sometimes I don't. It usually depends on whether the clothes smell funny to me. I find that some new clothes have a particular "new" smell that I don't like, and I dislike perfumey/potpourri smells that some boutiques have. I pretty much don't like ANY smells on my clothing. I very rarely buy used/thrifted clothing, but I would definitely wash that very thoroughly if I did. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343603 Tue, 03 May 2011 04:15:04 +0000 Anonymous 343603@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>After reading about the problem with bedbugs in retail clothing, yes, I wash mine before it goes in the closet. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343601 Tue, 03 May 2011 04:13:43 +0000 lyn* 343601@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I always always wash undies before wearing after I buy them from the store. Even if they're sealed.</p> <p>I don't always was knits before 1st wear </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-wearing#post-343599 Tue, 03 May 2011 04:12:44 +0000 cloud9 343599@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Are you supposed to? I know they have sprays that prevent mildew and such, but those are soaked into fabric and don't get all washed out anyway. </p> <p>I typically don't, as I like the newness. They are not quite the same after being laundered, especially the knits. Besides I am always afraid of shrinkage. This is about tops/shirts/blouses/pants/jeans, etc., not toppers as I always wear those unwashed first. I delay washing as long as possible. I do some spot cleaning / steam cleaning / fabreez between wearings. I am curious as to what you all do, and wonder if Angie would give us a definitive answer on whether washing prior to wearing is a must?</p> <p>ETA: yes, I do wash undies b4 1st wear.. </p>