Should you wash new clothes before you wear them?

Went and did a little shopping this weekend? New clothes always look so good in the store, but the number one question we always get asked is should you wash your new clothes before you go strutting your awesome new Tee or beautiful dress out on the town? The short answer is - yes, but let’s dive a little deeper into why it’s always a good idea to do so.

There are many factors why you’d want to wash before wearing your new items, such as chemicals, residues, germs, and more. Let’s dive into the first note.

Chemicals: Oftentimes, factories will use strong chemicals such as formaldehyde to set the clothing. This can prevent mildew and wrinkles when transporting items long distances, but this can lead to skin irritations for the wearer.

Germs: The process of making one garment takes a lot of hands. You’ll want to think about how many people, from the factory producing the garment, to shipping, to the storefront, and then all the previous customers who have touched and tried on that same garment. All those germs or other residue could transfer to your closet. One quick wash could help keep a healthy clothing routine for you and your home.

Dyes: During the factory development, clothes often contain excess dye that hasn’t been fully processed yet. Worst case, you don’t want that excess dye coming off on your hands or your other clothes. Doing preventative measures like washing those new jeans would help remove the excess and set the dye.

Laundry Mistakes

Is it ever ok to skip the wash? While yes, but we would strongly suggest otherwise to avoid potential issues ahead, such as skin irritations and allergies.

If you have sensitive skin, the chemicals used in the process of making the garment could cause a range of skin irritations or allergies. A pre-wash helps you and your skin reduce your exposure.

Laundry Tips

When you get your new items, here are some easy and quick tips to make sure your clothes are ready to shine! Make sure to follow the instructions on the clothing tag for optimal results.

Separate your items by fabric color or type, for cotton and synthetics, such as your simple T-shirt or hoodies, can be done in a typical cold cycle with mild detergent. Delicate items like bras, you’ll want to always use a mesh bag to provide protection so it doesn’t get damaged in the machines, and wash on cold. After, have the items air dry. For dark colored items like jeans, always wash those separately. This goes back to the previous note of excess dyes possibly leaking onto other clothing items.

Need some expert advice?

Some items can be confusing or need extra care. If it says “Dry Clean Only” on the tag, it’s best to go with that for the best results. All our laundry facilities offer a Wash And Fold service if you want to drop off your laundry and let us handle it for you. Or if you’re swinging by to use our machines, our attendants are always available to offer a helping hand.

In the end, we highly recommend pre-washing all your new clothing items. The most important thing is protecting you and your health so you can look and feel as good on the outside and on the inside too!

For more information or if you’re looking to check out our other laundry services, check out our “Services” page today!