Shrinkage. Fading. Lack of time. There are too many reasons in the world for us to forego washing our newly bought clothes, and too few (visible) reasons for us to actually do so.
However, if you’ve always dismissed the practice because your clothes will end up in the wash after you wear them anyway, you might want to reconsider that now.
With Covid-19 cases rising steadily globally, personal hygiene needs to be stepped up – even on the perfect, crisp and bright conditions of your new garms that you need to wear tomorrow.
Here are five reasons to toss the new clothes you snagged from the rack into the washing machine before sliding them on.
1. New clothes can often contain harsh chemicals
According to Prof. Donald Belsito of the Columbia University Medical Centre in New York, new clothing can often contain harmful chemicals that may cause skin irritation to occur.
Harmful chemicals and colours such as formaldehyde resin and azo-aniline dyes can react with your skin when you’re sweating and irritate your skin.
Washing your clothes can help get some of the excess dye out and prevent them from reacting with your skin.
2. You honestly don’t know where your clothes have been
Even if you don’t purchase the last piece in the store and receive a new piece packed in plastic, chances are, the new piece is just as dirty.
But how can that be… right?
Clothing factories can sometimes be very unhygienic and factories tend to add chemicals to prevent mildew from growing on clothes and to give it a certain texture.
ALSO READ: Washing new clothes necessary to prevent skin irritation
3. Lice can live in clothes
Although we’ve always known the much feared lice to find the hair and the head as their habitat, there are other forms of lice that also make clothes and beddings their home.
The size of a sesame seed, they can easily live in the seams of your clothing and feed on your blood, irritating your skin.
On clothing, they can live up to a month.
4. Changing rooms are breeding grounds for bacteria
Anyone who’s worked a retail job before will know how the changing room rarely gets cleaned thoroughly.
In fact, according to researchers at the Institute of Hygiene and Biotechnology in Boenningheim, Germany, have found that infected clothes and garmets can actually transmit athlete’s foot fungus to other textiles!
ALSO READ: Washing baby clothes: 6 things the doctor wants you to know
5. All those makeup stains
Unveiling the Hidden Makeup Damage on Your Fast‑Fashion Wardrobe
If you wander into any quick‑style shop, pick up a shirt or dress, and zoom in close to its neckline, you’ll likely spot a few sneaky stains—chalky foundation, smudged eyeshadow, or stubborn lipstick.
At first glance, those blemishes might seem harmless, but they can really ruin the look of your new outfit. Don’t let that missing receipt convince you that your purchase had all but finished its job.
Easy Tricks to Rescue Your Threads
- Makeup Wipes: Yes, the same handy wipes that you use to clean your face can erase fading streaks on clothes. Rinse the stain lightly before they dry.
- Rubbing Alcohol: A quick dab of isopropyl alcohol will loosen the pigment without harming the fabric.
- Shaving Cream: The creamy texture actually lifts grease and mascara when applied to a stained spot.
- Ice Cubes: Believe it or not, a few frozen cubes can freeze and lift stubborn marks without the harshness of hot water.
Unlike hot water, when you use ice cubes, the cold power grabs the pigment and lifts it off the fibers, keeping your clothes looking fresh and spotless.
Why Bother? Your Clothes Should Shine
Those invisible stains can accumulate over time, turning a crisp shirt into a questionable canvas. With these simple tricks, you can keep your fast‑fashion finds looking as if they just came off the runway—no makeup mishaps, no grumpy stains, just pure, effortless style.
