Cleaning expert reveals alarming reason to wash new clothes before wearing them

Many of us believe that new clothes bought straight from the store or delivered directly to our homes are ready to wear but one expert has revealed why we should always wash new clothes before you wear them – and the reason is unsettling.

The startling news comes from Jack, a fourth-generation dry cleaner who shares many marvelous cleaning tips to the TikTok page he shares with his father Jerry called jeeves_ny.

In a video he posted to TikTok, Jack explained that new clothes can contain, “chemicals, dye, stains, and pathogens on them that can cause skin, respiratory and allergy issues.”

“Some unwanted chemicals that appear on our new clothes that ALSO cause issues are formaldehyde, lead, and BPAs. Not great,” he added.

Jack also lists a number of studies which he said confirmed his argument, including studies from Harvard, the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and an investigation by Canadian news outlet CBC.

@jeeves_ny You should wash your new clothes (second hand / vintage included) as they can contain chemicals, dye, stains, and pathogens on them that can cause skin, respiratory and allergy issues.  Some unwanted chemicals that appear on our new clothes that ALSO cause issues are formaldehyde, lead, and BPAs. Not great 🙁 Got a laundry question! Ask me here: askjeevesny.com Here are some sources if you’d like to check this out for yourself: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29295715/ https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.2c02111 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12165928/ https://ceh.org/what-you-need-to-know-about-bpa-in-clothing/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/marketplace-fast-fashion-chemicals-1.6193385 https://study.com/academy/lesson/formaldehyde-in-textiles-use-limits-testing.html#:~:text=Many%20different%20manufacturers%20use%20formaldehyde,Rayon #washnewclothes #laundry #laundrytips #laundryhacks #shouldiwashnewclothes #vintageclothingcare #secondhandclothing #thriftedclothing #BPAs #lead #chemicalsonclothes #removestains #stainremoval #stains #explained #science ♬ original sound – clean freakz

The clip set off a flurry of comments, particularly from those who had worked in retail who agreed with Jack’s advice.

“I hand washed a brand new white shirt after buying it…the water was completely black,” one commented.

“When I worked retail, the amount of clothes I frequently picked up off the floor and hung up was crazy. Not to mention all the gross kids who would touch them all the time,” one added.

“As someone who used to deal with clothing while working retail, please wash them. My hands would be filthy after taking things out of boxes, bags, etc,” another added.

“Thank you for sharing this.”

While many will now race to the laundry after their next shopping trip, there a those who like to re-use what they’ve got. This often happens in winter, when that cool change leads to cold nights and we look for old favourites.

However winter clothing needs more care than a summer wardrobe, so if you want your winter wardrobe to last and continue looking and feeling its best, follow these tips to make sure you’re taking care of them properly.

Woollen coats, jumpers, and pants/skirts

1. Use a lint roller after each wear to remove surface dirt and oils.

2. Hang coats on a sturdy coat hanger when not in use. Don’t be tempted to hang them on hooks by the tag, as this can stretch the neck and shoulder areas out of shape.

3. For stains, pour a little soda water onto the stain and blot (no rubbing!) with a cloth or paper towel.

4. Hand-wash wool items with lukewarm water and a mild detergent (specifically for wool). Gently squeeze out excess water and lay flat to dry.

5. Hang pants, skirts, and other woollens for a day between wears to allow creases to fall out naturally.

6. Get your woollen coats dry-cleaned at the beginning and the end of each season.

Cashmere

1. Wash cashmere sparingly (only around twice a season if you can), and do it in cold water with either a wool wash or gentle baby shampoo.

2. Pick it up in a bundle (to avoid stretching it out), and dry it using either a salad spinner or lay flat and press dry with towels.

3. Clean cashmere before storing at the end of winter to avoid moths. Store in tissue paper, not dry-cleaning bags.