You Should Wash Your New Clothes Before Wearing Them. Doctor Shares Why
Especially new undergarments!
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Many of us often can't wait to wear our new clothes after buying them, but according to a health expert, it's probably a habit worth breaking
Taiwanese nutrition and functional medicine expert Dr Liu Po-Jen, who frequently shares health tips on Facebook, recently advised the public to always wash new clothes — especially undergarments — before wearing them.
"People are often excited to wear new clothes immediately, but washing them first is actually the best way to protect your health," he wrote.
Dr Liu Po-Jen.
Image via 劉博仁營養功能醫學專家 (Facebook)Beyond hygiene, Liu explained that new clothes often contain chemical residues from the manufacturing process, including substances like formaldehyde and leftover dyes used to prevent wrinkles, shrinkage, and to help clothes keep their shape
"These chemicals can irritate the skin, and may cause allergic reactions, rashes, or itching," he said.
He also pointed out that new clothes travel through many environments — including factories, warehouses, trucks, and store shelves — and may have been tried on by other people, picking up dust, bacteria, mould spores, and more along the way.
"This is especially concerning for undergarments and clothes for babies, which require extra care," he said.
Dr Liu also highlighted other benefits: washing new clothes can remove any lingering odours, soften the fabric, and reduce the risk of colour bleeding and staining your skin.
Backing this advice, a former retail employee also told SAYS that new clothes are far from clean by the time they reach customers
"The 'new' clothes you buy usually arrive from dusty factories and warehouses after travelling hundreds of kilometres. By the time we unpack them in-store, we're usually sneezing from all the dust," they shared.
They also revealed that many customers try on clothes — especially discounted items — before buying.
"Some even try on clothes after working out, or can't fit the clothes they're trying and end up sweating in them or get their makeup on the garments while taking them off," they added.
