# Do You Wash New Clothes Before You Wear them? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 10, 2021, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157 "2021-07-10T14:47:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/1 "2021-07-10T14:47:15Z")
If your answer is “sometimes” that’s “yes”. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/2 "2021-07-10T14:55:03Z")
No. But if the clothes came from an unconventional source, I would. > **[How Blue Jeans Endangered the Lives of 6 Children in 1963](https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/poisoned-jeans-1963)** > > The fascinating case of the poisoned pants. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/3 "2021-07-10T14:55:03Z")
Are you working on creating a poll? I wash underwear, and I wash and clothes that I’ve purchased used, but rarely wash anything else before wearing it. Oh, and I wash sheets, because they come with sizing or something that makes them stiff and uncomfortable until they’ve been washed. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/4 "2021-07-10T14:58:13Z")
I’ve been told I should do this, but I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/5 "2021-07-10T14:59:02Z")
Not usually. Though from time to time I remember a post (here, maybe) from someone that worked in a clothing store. They said that when the trucks unloaded all the racks of clothing, they’d have to leave them in the back room for a day to air out and get rid of (what they described as) a formaldehyde smell. I assume it’s just whatever the final rinse was after making/dying the clothes, but it did get me washing new stuff for a while. ETA, I believe this is the post I was looking for: > [@Do you usually wash sheets before you use them?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-usually-wash-sheets-before-you-use-them/682205/12): > > This. Great Og, I can’t emphasize it enough. Elsewhere on this board, I’ve discussed my year at Macy’s. Whenever new clothes were brought in from the docks to the floor, the smell was overpowering. You, the average shopper, are never supposed to experience this - trust me! :eek: Please, please, please, \*always \*wash new clothing - new ANYTHING - as well as yourself as soon as possible after you’ve tried new stuff on. If you can’t wash it, make the monetary sacrifice and take it to the dry… Plus, I found lots of other posts about formaldehyde being used in manufacturing process (including one from Lynn). ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/6 "2021-07-10T15:00:44Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > If your answer is “sometimes” that’s “yes”. What a strange qualifier… I do some things, sometimes. Does that help? ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/7 "2021-07-10T15:03:58Z")
I frequently run new items through the dryer before wearing – with a damp clean washrag if I need to get wrinkles out. This is typical of the polo shirts I buy, for example. Often jeans and dress pants, too. Agree with **puzzlelegal** about sheets. Any article of clothing I buy that seems stiff-ish like that (e.g. button-down dress shirts) will also generally get washed in the washer before wearing. ---
**Author:** ![TheCuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thecuse/32/2854_2.png) [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/8 "2021-07-10T15:06:19Z")
I do, but I don’t wash them separately. For example, a few weeks ago I purchased a few pullover shirts, and put them in my regular laundry load for that week. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/9 "2021-07-10T15:20:36Z")
No. Newly purchased clothes feel the best. Even after one wash they feel different. And I don’t see a reason to get an early start on them degrading. I will throw any clothing item in the dryer for a bit if it’s wrinkled, and this has included new stuff. But never in the wash. I have heard of the old blue jeans you had to wash to get the die out, but I’ve never owned any like that. All jeans I’ve owned are specifically marked as “prewashed.” Edit: I did wash the Snuggie I got for Christmas. But that was because the fabric felt very rough, and I was told washing it and drying it with fabric softener would fix that. It actually did help significantly. But that’s not what I would really consider “clothing.” ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/10 "2021-07-10T15:22:09Z")
Yes, they’ve got formaldehyde on them. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/11 "2021-07-10T15:24:01Z")
Pretty much everything but socks will go into the wash when first bought. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/12 "2021-07-10T15:36:39Z")
Everything that doesn’t require dry cleaning gets washed before wearing. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/13 "2021-07-10T15:38:02Z")
On the subject of needing to wash clothes because of putative formaldehyde content: - this doesn’t appear to be true of most new clothes - washing doesn’t guarantee elimination of formaldehyde from new clothing - evidence that formaldehyde in clothing is at a level that significantly increases health risks to humans seems to be lacking - your own body makes formaldehyde as part of normal metabolic processes, and other metabolic reactions deactivate it > **[Toxic formaldehyde is produced inside our own cells, scientists discover](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170816134721.htm)** > > New research has revealed that some of the toxin formaldehyde in our bodies does not come from our environment -- it is a by-product of an essential reaction inside our own cells. This could provide new targets for developing cancer therapies. > **[The effect of clothing care activities on textile formaldehyde content - PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24053365/)** > > Textiles are commonly treated with formaldehyde-based residues that may potentially induce allergic contact dermatitis in sensitive individuals. This study examined the initial formaldehyde content in clothing and resulting changes due to care... If new clothes have a detectable chemical odor, it might be a good idea to wash them before wearing. I suspect that any health issues from chemical treatment of clothes are more likely to be significant in textile workers exposed to much higher levels than wearers. ---
**Author:** ![Bootb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@Bootb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootb)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/14 "2021-07-10T15:54:03Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I have heard of the old blue jeans you had to wash to get the die out, but I’ve never owned any like that. All jeans I’ve owned are specifically marked as “prewashed.” It also used to be that some items would shrink a bit after the first wash. I think that manufacturing processes have gotten better, but a wash is reasonably cheap and quick insurance before you start depending on the item. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/15 "2021-07-10T16:33:48Z")
Yes I do wash them first because I once did not do so with a new pair of pajamas and I broke out in a rash all over. ---
**Author:** ![Didi44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@Didi44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Didi44)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/16 "2021-07-10T16:47:07Z")
Not pajamas, but I’ve often gotten a rash from unwashed new clothes. Really nasty with underwear. BTW, I’m a guy. I can get away with a few washings with regular detergent, but start to develop a rash after a few weeks. I’m especially allergic to scented softener, which I don’t use at all now, unscented or not. Makes sense since softeners leave a residue to give that soft feeling. If your towels aren’t absorbent, wash them without softener (it may take a few washings) and the absorbency will return. [https://mygreencloset.com/never-use-fabric-softener/](https://mygreencloset.com/never-use-fabric-softener/) Every couple of months or so, I wash my clothes without any detergent to remove the detergent residue left over from previous washings. ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/17 "2021-07-10T16:50:10Z")
Yes, I always wash new clothes before wearing them. They smell weird and they feel weird. I’ve heard the formaldehyde thing. Even if it isn’t true, I can often detect a chemical scent on newly-purchased clothes (particularly dress shirts). Also, clothes that have been previously tried on by other people are probably dirtier than they look. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/18 "2021-07-10T17:05:40Z")
Never ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/19 "2021-07-10T17:24:31Z")
Yes; I get very itchy if I don’t wash new clothes before wearing them. Heavens forbid I should get sweaty while wearing new clothes, then I will likely end up with hives. I also greatly dislike the smell of the “sizing” they put on them to keep them from wrinkling. That may be due to association, I’m not sure. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2021, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157/20 "2021-07-10T17:33:06Z")
Yes, we always wash new clothes (and bedding) before wearing them. You never know who wore them, then returned them. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wash-new-clothes-before-you-wear-them/946157.md?page=2)