Love it when you buy something new to wear? And you also want to wear it right away, don’t you? Although you’re looking forward to the new piece in your wardrobe, it’s a good idea to think about whether it would be better to wash the clothes first. Some people do it automatically, others talk about getting clean clothes from the store. What do the experts say?

The holidays are coming up and chances are you’ll get a few pieces of new clothing for Christmas. Or, on the other hand, you will be giving clothes to some of your loved ones. You might want to put on a new tracksuit or sleep in new pyjamas as soon as you receive them. Ideally, however, you should throw such items of clothing in the washing machine first. While it’s not entirely necessary, experts agree that it’s better.

Should new clothes be washed?

Francez Kozen, an associate professor of fiber science at Cornell University, says it’s usually a good idea to wash your clothes before wearing them. Especially ones that you wear directly on your skin. She says she washes her own new pieces of clothing to remove the chemicals that get into the clothes during processing. And also any dirt that may have gotten into the fabric during production. It doesn’t look like it at first, but even new clothes can be full of fabrics that shouldn’t come into contact with your skin.

This is especially important for people with sensitive skin or various allergies. For such people, unwashed new clothes could cause various rashes or other allergic reactions. Washing the clothes will remove possible irritants such as dyes, but also bacteria from the production. And you should also think about the fact that someone else may have tried on the clothes before you. Although manufacturing processes are now regulated, washing is still a good option.

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Bacteria on clothes

If you don’t mind chemicals, you should at least be wary of the aforementioned bacteria. A 2020 study found that bacteria and viruses can survive on certain fabrics for days and even weeks. This means that buying clothes at the store and then wearing them without washing them can pose some risk. This is because people have tried it on in the store and also many people have handled the clothes in front of you.

There have been several studies that have been done looking specifically at bacteria and viruses on clothing. Fecal bacteria and nasal viruses were common on clothing. Scabies, lice and bedbugs, among others. All of these scarecrows can survive for days on the clothes you buy. On the other hand, it’s really extremely rare to get sick from new clothes or bedding. Even so, it is still recommended to wash everything.

You’ll extend the life

Laundry is also beneficial for another reason. Washing before wearing can often extend the life of your clothes. However, using hot water and a dryer can also deform clothes. So the key is to wash at the right temperature. Ideally, wash in cold water and dry on a low temperature, ideally not using a tumble dryer but hanging the clothes to dry. So says Nomi Dale Kleinman, head of the textile design department at the Fashion Institute of Technology.