Should You Wash New Clothes Before Wearing Them?

I have a confession: Despite my practically compulsive need to use hand sanitizer after pumping gas, I often wear new clothes without washing them—especially if I have a fun outing planned the day the new duds land on my doorstep. Of course, I have my limits (linens, activewear, and the like all take a spin through the laundry before use), but generally, I’m not too precious about the preliminary wash cycle. If you, too, are in my camp and would like to continue to dwell here, you should probably stop reading now. We asked experts to weigh in, and they unanimously agreed: Washing before wearing is the move. Here’s the good, bad, and ugly of why you should be launder new clothes before you wear them. 

Are There Any Risks?

I’ll start with the good. “It is extremely rare to become sick from new clothing or bedding,” says Dr. Jami L. Miller, medical director of the Dermatology Clinic at Vanderbilt Health One Hundred Oaks. Microbiologist Dr. David C. Gaston, assistant professor of pathology, microbiology and immunology at Vanderbilt Health, agrees. “The risk of obtaining a communicable disease from clothing in a retail store after being tried on by another person is vanishingly small and essentially non-existent if the clothing is new.” Phew.

Even so, experts say, there are a litany of reasons you should toss your recent purchases into the washing machine.

The Case For Washing Before Wearing

For starters, loose dyes could destroy the rest of your outfit. During apparel production, dyes don’t always immediately become "fixed" to the fabric, says Dr. Karen K. Leonas, professor of textile sciences at NC State University. “If loose dye remains on the surface and the garment is worn over or under other garments (like camisoles, a silk blouse worn under a jacket, or the like), it can transfer to them and permanently discolor or stain them,” she says. Launder carefully too: Those same unfixed dyes on a new red shirt, for example, could transform your old-faithful white blouse into a pink one. 

There’s also the matter of chemicals used in the clothing-manufacturing process. “This is most common in synthetic fibers like polyester and nylon, but even natural fibers can have coatings on them,” notes Miller.  Both Leonas and Miller suggest that those with sensitive skin or people who have specific allergies are likely the most impacted by new clothing’s loose dyes and chemicals, as the garments’ contact with skin may cause rashes; dry, itchy patches; and other types of uncomfortable reactions.

If the threats of stained clothing or an allergic reaction don’t convince you, the experts’ primary reason behind the pre-wear wash is disgustingly compelling: germs—and lots of them. 

“Garments go through a long and complex supply chain where the apparel components come from many sources and the final item has gone through many hands—with potential exposure to various bacteria, fungi, dirt, and insects,” says Leonas. “Laundering them will help remove and destroy these.”

There’s also the matter of your clothes moving from the production facility to your front door. “Most garments sold in the U.S. are imported, and some may spend weeks or months in shipping containers,” says Leonas. This time can lead to unsavory developments: “Mold can grow on clothing as it is shipped, especially in hot, humid weather,” adds Miller. 

Perhaps nastiest of all, though, are the human bacteria likely clinging to your seemingly new clothes. If you’ve got a sensitive stomach, now might be a good time to stop reading, or at least put down your pimiento cheese sandwich.

 “You never know who tried on the garment before you bought it, so you don’t know about germs on their skin, nose, mouth,” warns Miller. “In fact, a few studies have been done looking at bacteria and viruses lingering on clothes after they have been tried on—fecal bacteria and nasal viruses were commonly found. Lice, scabies, and even bed bugs can also live on clothing for a few days.”

Here’s hoping there’s a good Prime Day deal on detergent.