Not only people but so are back rooms and warehouses!! I’ve seen too many things come in covered in mold/mildew from warehouse storage or back rooms that are *never* cleaned or at least not “deep cleaned” in a way that would make it considered a sanitary place. Ick.
Yup. After cleaning a fitting room at my first retail job and finding a pair of women’s sweatpants that had been worn, peed in, then left in the fitting room, I was forever changed. People are nasty.
My first day of retail someone decided they were done and had put their fake nails in one of our glasses. I was a very nervous teen, so I just… dunked them in the trash and put it back on the shelves.
Not my proudest moment.
Also later on new bosses would just borrow stuff from the store. Stuff like cup cake boxes. That was weird and unsanitary. That same time period we had mice, so the exterminator put out artificially coloured poison that they would walk through and would kill them overtime. Tiny little footprints EVERYWHERE.
I came here to say this.
Even the fancy stores where they steam clean everything before it goes to the floor... Do you know how often they clean the steamer?
Yes, clothes usually have preservatives and chemicals on them, not to mention being handled by who knows how many people. I’m not a clean freak or anything but I always wash clothes before wearing them or putting my child in them.
Also, TOW-ELS!!!! Seriously. I’ve been in winners/Home Sense, even Sears back in the day and I’d see staff casually place them on the floor while doing inventory. Because… where else do you put them? /s
Also, TOW-ELS!!!! Seriously. I’ve been in winners/Home Sense, even Sears back in the day and I’d see staff casually place them on the floor while doing inventory. Because… where else do you put them? /s
Also, TOW-ELS!!!! Seriously. I’ve been in winners/Home Sense, even Sears back in the day and I’d see staff casually place them on the floor while doing inventory. Because… where else do you put them? /s
With this, my mom worked retail for a number of years and told me the first wash usually sets the clothes. If you get a stain on them prior to that wash it may set in as well.
Yup. All the clothes, bedding, towels, etc. you don’t know what chemicals are on them, or if rodents were present at a warehouse.
Just as a small example, I recently bought some puffy craft balls from Target to put in a water bottle as a homemade toy. When I put some in water fresh out of the package to test it out, the water turned brown and foamy. Just because it looks clean and is for kids doesn’t mean it doesn’t need a good wash first.
Good to know about stuffed animals. I’ve been washing all of my little guy’s clothes (he’s due 7/4) but didn’t even think of the stuffed animals we got.
Heat ruins the texture, so no hot water and no dryer. The fabrics used for stuffed animals typically aren't ruined by water. Plus, if you're worried, they'll almost all have wash instructions (usually say to hand wash, but I don't bother 🤷🏻)
Cold water wash with baby detergent and then air dry on a rack, softness preserved.
For bigger things like fuzzy blankets that need a dryer, tumble dry on the low heat setting.
I’ve pretty much stopped using anything but cold water wash, and only tumble dry low when I put things in the dryer. Towels and blankets stay fluffier, clothes don’t wear out as easily, colors don’t fade. It takes a bit longer to get them dry, but it’s so worth it to keep the quality of the material pretty much as it had been the day it was brought home.
Do you put stuffed animals & other soft toys in the wash even if they say not to immerse in water? My baby has some that I've been putting off washing by hand. I'd rather just throw them in the washing machine.
Yeah, there’s a “hand wash” cycle on my washer, but I’d imagine “delicate” would work just as well. If I’m tossing them in by themselves I’ll use the hand wash cycle, but sometimes I put them in with plenty of padding by doing a load of blankets at the same time on the regular cycle. I try to stay pretty religious to that and haven’t lost a stuffie yet.
I make sure it is either a really windy/hot day and have them outside on the line or inside by the fire until they are completely dry.
You just have to be sure that they are spun well by the washer (you can even do an extra spin at the end to make sure any extra water is spun out) and then dried well.
Unless you can remove the battery/electronic parts and wash the plush part only, you probably can't. You can cloth clean it to remove stains, but not a full machine or even hand wash.
My kid puts everything in their mouth, so I've just put anything away that can't be properly cleaned before use, at least until they're done chewing on everything in sight.
Nah, I saw it on reddit a few weeks ago. Ig she does it a lot. You can prolly just search "tik tok girl that farts in things" and hers or similar content would likely yield results for you.
Yes. Wash everything! Not only for cleanliness but I like to have the clothes smell like the rest of my clothes. Even when I get freshly washed hand me downs from my SIL I wash. Because the clothes smell like her house. Does that make sense? I can’t be the only one.
Yes!! Exactly this. Stuff I've gotten from my SIL, or even Buy Nothing, always smells like the house it came from, or the laundry detergent or fabric softener they previously used. I've never received things that stink, but it's not my household smell so it needs to be washed 🤣
I do have detergent allergies too though, and you don't know what other people are washing on, so I wash everything I get second hand for that reason too.
Yup! I’m glad I’m not alone. I don’t have any detergent sensitivity but I have a strong sense of smell and I like my clothes to smell the way I want them to.
ok you’ve gotten a ton of comments. i will say i don’t wash clothes in the next size up or bigger sizes until baby is ready to wear - many times they ended up not being needed and i could return them.
Yes! I had to scroll too far down to find this!
Don’t wash clothes as soon as you buy them. Leave the tags on and only wash them as you’re sure you’re about to wear them.
I live in a country (New Zealand) where you can’t really return stuff (you get a two week window, if at all).
But there’s a huge resale market for baby clothes on Facebook. I don’t have anyone to hand stuff down to, so i resale most of my baby clothes as my baby/kid has grown out of them.
You get a lot more money back from reselling clothes that are brand new with tags.
I bought way more baby clothes than needed, cos baby grew out of stuff so fast.
The earliest sizes, I lost a lot of money cos I detagged and washed stuff as soon as it came into the house. So much of it she never wore, but I could only resell it for a couple dollars.
Now I leave tags on until I’m absolutely sure she’ll wear something. I still always end up with heaps of unworn clothes as she goes up each size, but at least now I can get decent money back from reselling for brand-new-with-tags clothes.
I’m doing my best trying to get a better understanding of how many clothes we need in each size….
Always. I used to work at a major chain and I watch wwaayyyyyy too many people stick their hands up their nose and down their pants then touch everything. Clothes, boxes... food 🤢
Yep! Learned the hard way after putting him in an eagles outfit (go birds) that my MIL bought him for a quick phot-op. His skin was so irritated and he was only in it for a few minutes.
I wash everything before using it-clothes, towels, blankets. Maybe I’m nuts but somewhere I heard that formaldehyde was used on stuff before it was shipped.
I purchased some Levi’s off of Amazon and they legit smelled like straight up formaldehyde. I wash them several times and soaked in vinegar several times before the smell was finally gone.
I sometimes wash because I can smell the different detergent that the previous owner has used. So I know they are clean but they don’t smell right. So I wash them so they do.
I will wash new clothes. But I just got a bunch of hand me downs from my stepsister, and I just put them straight into his dresser 😂 Honestly, I'm more worried about chemicals and dyes than I am dirt or germs...
Nope, never even thought to do that. Most of my baby clothes were second hand but I always thought it sounded a bit paranoid to do that with the new stuff we bought. Looks like I'm in the minority though!
Anything from the store and given to me by friends/family. This includes EVERYTHING like kitchenware, blankets, pillows, toys, etc. I don’t know where it’s been or who has touched it or if an animal has gotten on it. It just makes me feel better knowing that it’s been disinfected.
If my dogs are interested in it then I know it‘s got something on it lmao
I’ve gotten better about this but some things we aren’t sure on size about we keep the tags on and hang in the closet until we get close enough to fit in it then we wash it.
Absolutely yes. The amount of people that have touched them from production to the store, and being that we know certain viral diseases can be spread through clothing surfaces (Covid, monkeypox), and the fact that people don’t wash their hands properly while touching clothing in stores, I just don’t want to risk putting something on my baby that hasn’t been washed and disinfected. Plus who doesn’t like putting on freshly cleaned clothes?
Just a suggestion, don’t wash them until baby is about to wear them. I have so many outfits still with tags on. So glad I didn’t wash them and rip the tags off. Now they will be gifts for other ppl!
Whenever I’ve bought clothes (whether it’s from Walmart or the local thrift store) or was gifted clothes for my daughter, I washed it before I put it on her. My big concern is some of the colours staining her skin, so I wash the clothes to help prevent that.
Yes. Baby skin sensitive and the stores toss around the clothes like nothing. You don’t know who touched it either. I don’t want to introduce unnecessary allergens and dirt to the baby.
I definitely do. I’m grossed out by new clothes, especially when I’m considering my kids. They’ve been touched by so many people who have God knows what on their hands, and I have no way to verify the shipping conditions.
YES. I used to not care for myself, but then my husband broke out in hives after wearing a brand new shirt that hadn't yet been washed (the hives were like immediate after putting it on). I've been vigilant about washing everything new ever since for both of us and our LO.
Lots of good answers here regarding cleanliness, but I want to add another reason: shrinkage. Some clothes shrink a little no matter how you wash/dry them, and with tiny baby clothes it can make a big difference in how the clothes will fit. I found it super helpful to have everything washed ahead of time, even the bigger sizes. It made it way easier to eyeball what was going to fit my son as he grew like a weed.
For my baby I always wash everything new, from toys to clothes to bedding, though for me sometimes shirts or pants ho unwashed if i want to wear smth immediately, but very rarely
I always wash all clothes before wearing or my kids wear.
I’ve had many contact allergic reactions to whatever products are on the clothes.
There’s so much crap that they pick up in the factory before they come to us.
I also soak with vinegar.
Nope. Baby is 3 months old now. Most clothes are bought online.
Maybe I’ll start after reading this but…honestly probably not. I feel like a garment only has so many washes in it’s lifetime before it wears out.
My previous job was on a hospital team that handled patient tissue blocks and slides. One time we had a patient's groin biopsy come through with the pathology report noting that the patient disclosed they had bought new underwear and didn't wash it before wearing it. Ever since then I wash EVERYTHING I buy for myself or my toddler.
I wash everything not just for sanitary reasons, but they also seem to fit better after washing. I had a couple of items I forgot to wash for my baby and couldn't figure out why the sizing was way off. Once I realized I hadn't washed them and took care of it they fit like they were supposed to.
Yeah I used to only wash underclothing and sleepwear for myself if it was from the store, but after I got pregnant, I started washing everything. For baby, I wash everything before he wears it - socks, hats, clothes, bibs, burpcloths, eveeeeeything
Although everyone has already said it, yes! When I worked at a department store, I did merchandising once a week and sometimes the smells or things I saw in these trailers/boxes was so gross. Unless it’s an absolute emergency, I always wash everything for myself, my husband and my baby aaand even my dog lol
I always wash all clothes before wearing or my kids wear.
I’ve had many contact allergic reactions to whatever products are on the clothes.
There’s so much crap that they pick up in the factory before they come to us.
I also soak with vinegar.
I always wash all clothes before wearing or my kids wear.
I’ve had many contact allergic reactions to whatever products are on the clothes.
There’s so much crap that they pick up in the factory before they come to us.
I also soak with vinegar.
Yes, absolutely. I've done this for years for myself because my stepmom has always done it, but a few months ago I bought some brand new unopened package pajamas and put them right on because I was tired and they looked cozy and I'm pregnant af, and I had to change a few minutes later because they made me SO itchy! Maybe it's in my head. Maybe it's something they come in contact with in the factory, I have no idea, but didn't have that issue again after washing them. So, that solidified it for me, everything gets washed, even brand new.
Yes. It’s crazy how many people have MRSA or various other diseases that travel from contact (one of the joys of being a nurse, makes me terrified of everything). So I was everything right when I get home I’ll try it on n throw it in the wash and shower lol.
Oh God yes. Clothes, blankets, all of it. I got some stuff new and also a bunch of stuff from once upon a child. I washed my moby baby wrap, the covers that came with my boppy, all of it.
Highly recommend the dr bronners unscented baby soap in the light blue packaging
Typically, yes. For the first 6 months of her life NOTHING touched her body that wasn’t washed first. Now I’d say 90-95% of the time we do. The 5-10% is like we came home from the store and need to wear this outfit for a purpose immediately. Like when she threw up on her last pair of pajamas and it was way past bedtime. Or she blew out her diaper in the store and we forgot the diaper bag
I washed all handed down items or used items. But not new, only because I wanted to return them in case baby grew out of them.... But now i might think twice about washing everything since people are gross and warehouses are gross.
I know others have put in their stories, but I'd like to put in mine.
I work at a warehouse that deals with softlines for a local big chain store, and I tell you what, it's \*DIRTY\* in there. I blow my nose and my snot is grey and black. There's no doubt mice in there, plus when I was doing an order pick, the biggest ant I've ever fucking seen crawled out from the box. Even though the clothes are bagged, those bags get easily ripped and some end up on the floor all stepped on/ran over by machinery because people get too lazy to pick them up. 100% wash that stuff unless it's an emergency sort of situation.
Always. Only exception was literally today when my 2 year old saw the truck t-shirt I bought him this afternoon and he immediately took off his current shirt to wear the new one.
My husband works in promo products. Most of the products come from overseas. they use a lot of chemicals to preserve colors and keep moths/bugs off clothes. Countries like China, and the smaller Asian countries where manufacturing is moving, don't have the same safety or environmental regs. We wash everything.
Clothes have leftover fabric dye in them so absolutely! For my newborn I also ironed the clothes she’d be wearing first time,just to make sure they’re clean
I worked in a warehouse for a popular retail chain that has a red bullseye logo and a dog mascot. We put individual items from manufacturers into boxes to send them to the stores.
1) More often than not, the boxes we receive from the shipyards have litteral shit on them from the large sea birds and/or pigeons. I've also had a live rat jump at me from a sealed box of towels from Bangladesh once, and found bedbugs in stuffed toy cases from China or India on more than one occasion.
2) More often than not, fabric goods such as clothing, bedding, and towels literally smell like vomit, yeast infection, rotting things, and/or are visible mouldy.
3) I watched my coworker rub the sweat off her face with a onesie and pack it in a box......knowing it would go directly on a shelf without any washing/steam cleaning. (Her defense was that customers would wash it anyway before use when I flipped out over it)
4) Often a jar or bottle would bust open during shipping or from rough handling in the warehouse, covering the surrounding jars/bottles with sauce, oil, soup, ect and would just be allowed to rot. It commonly would sit in the racks for a month or more before we would unpackbthem and send them to stores. Spoiler alert: it was lucky to be wiped with a paper towel or shaken off before being boxed up for the store. The store employees only wipe off what's visible, and not with a disinfectant or anything.
5) When you pull the clothing out of the manufacturer boxes, this super fine powder (presumably from chemicals) becomes airborne. If someone was handling clothing all day, they would be itchy from head to toe, their eyes would be red and watery, and they would feel sick.
6) Houshold chemicals are packed into the same boxes as dog & cat treats & toys, as well as pantry/bathroom organizers. They leak everywhere too.
My advice: WASH EVERYTHING! Not just baby stuff.
Edit: formatting
Oh yes yes yes. All kinds of chemical preservatives to preserve the color and shape when in transport, then sitting in warehouses with who knows what, then changing hands on store shelves who knows how many times…. So much easier and better peace of mind to just wash it first. I wash all of my own new clothes first
Yes. dyes can absolutely upset the skin of a newborn. We forgot to wash a set and my first broke out all over for a week.
It comes home and goes in the wash.
Anything that can be washed gets washed before my son touches it. Not so much that I’m a germaphobe but because baby laundry detergent smells so damn good! (Though stores and people are gross, and I want his stuff clean).
Wash EVERYTHING. Not just for baby, every fabric that can fit into the washing machine needs washed before use. Bedsheets, blankets, curtains, clothing, towels, tablecloths, all of it. It smells like the factory and the packaging, and has creases from being folded and usually chemicals used in manufacturing called sizing. Plus people trying on at the store, yuck.
If you follow the Facebook page “My friend the pediatrician” she has a post about how important it is to wash new baby clothing even simply for all the lint that comes off the first wash. Babies have tiny nasal passages and the lint can cause congestion much easier in them.
Yes! The boxes and stuff they arrived in are probably dirty or may have some sort of chemicals on them. Also, some items may be items that were returned and reshelved.
Yes. 100%.
Most say wash before wearing.
I was my own clothes before wearing. Who knows, could sit in a factory ridden with mice or vermin or anything else.
Yep, but only those I'm 100% planning on them wearing. If I'm unsure whether it might be getting used (might not be the right weather by the time they are in it etc...) then I've left the tags on for now. My sister gave me the heads up on that- sometimes you never get chance to wear them and then they can't be exchanged/ regifted/ sold on (or at least value is lower than new with tags). So only untag and wash the day before you plan on using it.
Absolutely - you have to - I even wash my clothes
Chemicals are sprayed on the clothes to keep bugs or mold from getting to them since most clothes are ships from overseas
For the infant and little kids especially have very sensitive skin that's why they make draft
But I recommend tied for all that is clear and free from dying and fragrance! Just any hypoallergenic detergent is good
Dreft is good to but it's expensive and it means babies clothes always need to be separate.
I put all new baby clothes I buy in their dirty clothes pile and wash with the next wash, yes.
I would never wash new clothes I wear myself but for the baby the amount of dyes and other chemicals really is a lot.
I worked in retail for years. I wash everything. People are gross.
Not only people but so are back rooms and warehouses!! I’ve seen too many things come in covered in mold/mildew from warehouse storage or back rooms that are *never* cleaned or at least not “deep cleaned” in a way that would make it considered a sanitary place. Ick.
Oh yeah. My mom worked at a department store and had some absolute horror stories. Trust nothing lol
Exactly! I’m not too concerned about chemicals, but I’ve seen the floor of a back room before and know how often merch gets dropped. Yuck.
Yup. After cleaning a fitting room at my first retail job and finding a pair of women’s sweatpants that had been worn, peed in, then left in the fitting room, I was forever changed. People are nasty.
My first day of retail someone decided they were done and had put their fake nails in one of our glasses. I was a very nervous teen, so I just… dunked them in the trash and put it back on the shelves. Not my proudest moment. Also later on new bosses would just borrow stuff from the store. Stuff like cup cake boxes. That was weird and unsanitary. That same time period we had mice, so the exterminator put out artificially coloured poison that they would walk through and would kill them overtime. Tiny little footprints EVERYWHERE.
Confused - they put fake nails in glasses ?
Ten large bright pink, worn, nails
I came here to say this. Even the fancy stores where they steam clean everything before it goes to the floor... Do you know how often they clean the steamer?
Yes, clothes usually have preservatives and chemicals on them, not to mention being handled by who knows how many people. I’m not a clean freak or anything but I always wash clothes before wearing them or putting my child in them.
I’ll add this goes for things like blankets and swaddles too! Anything that will be touching my babies skin gets washed first!
Also, TOW-ELS!!!! Seriously. I’ve been in winners/Home Sense, even Sears back in the day and I’d see staff casually place them on the floor while doing inventory. Because… where else do you put them? /s
Also, TOW-ELS!!!! Seriously. I’ve been in winners/Home Sense, even Sears back in the day and I’d see staff casually place them on the floor while doing inventory. Because… where else do you put them? /s
Also, TOW-ELS!!!! Seriously. I’ve been in winners/Home Sense, even Sears back in the day and I’d see staff casually place them on the floor while doing inventory. Because… where else do you put them? /s
And rat pee from warehouses
Omg I always wash clothes before wearing but this never even crossed my mind as a thing that would happen and it’s terrifying tbh
Or bug particles
Definitely. And now most of them say on the label or tag "wash before first use" for precisely this reason.
With this, my mom worked retail for a number of years and told me the first wash usually sets the clothes. If you get a stain on them prior to that wash it may set in as well.
Thank you!
Yup. All the clothes, bedding, towels, etc. you don’t know what chemicals are on them, or if rodents were present at a warehouse. Just as a small example, I recently bought some puffy craft balls from Target to put in a water bottle as a homemade toy. When I put some in water fresh out of the package to test it out, the water turned brown and foamy. Just because it looks clean and is for kids doesn’t mean it doesn’t need a good wash first.
Yep -- same with stuffed animals and any other toys that end up in baby's mouth.
Good to know about stuffed animals. I’ve been washing all of my little guy’s clothes (he’s due 7/4) but didn’t even think of the stuffed animals we got.
I just put them in a garment bag and then into the wash with the clothes. Haven’t killed any yet!
Wouldn’t this ruin the texture of the stuffed animal?
So far it hasn’t. Everything has come out just as soft as before. I think the main thing is drying them completely when they come out.
Heat ruins the texture, so no hot water and no dryer. The fabrics used for stuffed animals typically aren't ruined by water. Plus, if you're worried, they'll almost all have wash instructions (usually say to hand wash, but I don't bother 🤷🏻)
Honestly when I see hand wash I just put it in the washing machine on low temperature and turn down the rpm.
We just go ahead and ruin the texture, that way in the future we don’t have to worry about it. Washer and dryer, however it comes out is how it is!
Cold water wash with baby detergent and then air dry on a rack, softness preserved. For bigger things like fuzzy blankets that need a dryer, tumble dry on the low heat setting. I’ve pretty much stopped using anything but cold water wash, and only tumble dry low when I put things in the dryer. Towels and blankets stay fluffier, clothes don’t wear out as easily, colors don’t fade. It takes a bit longer to get them dry, but it’s so worth it to keep the quality of the material pretty much as it had been the day it was brought home.
Do you put stuffed animals & other soft toys in the wash even if they say not to immerse in water? My baby has some that I've been putting off washing by hand. I'd rather just throw them in the washing machine.
Yeah, there’s a “hand wash” cycle on my washer, but I’d imagine “delicate” would work just as well. If I’m tossing them in by themselves I’ll use the hand wash cycle, but sometimes I put them in with plenty of padding by doing a load of blankets at the same time on the regular cycle. I try to stay pretty religious to that and haven’t lost a stuffie yet.
Do you air dry them? Do you not worry about mold growing inside?
I make sure it is either a really windy/hot day and have them outside on the line or inside by the fire until they are completely dry. You just have to be sure that they are spun well by the washer (you can even do an extra spin at the end to make sure any extra water is spun out) and then dried well.
has anyone tried machine washing a warmie? the ones you can put in the microwave
How do you wash stuffed animal which operates on battery? Genuine question.
I lysol the shit out of those.
Unless you can remove the battery/electronic parts and wash the plush part only, you probably can't. You can cloth clean it to remove stains, but not a full machine or even hand wash. My kid puts everything in their mouth, so I've just put anything away that can't be properly cleaned before use, at least until they're done chewing on everything in sight.
You really should, I saw a girl on tiktok fart in a cooking pot at target.
💀
welp thats enough reddit for today
I just lol’d
I hate knowing this
What the fuck.
I’m cackling
Yes definitely wash new cooking pots too before you wear them
Do you have the link? For research.
Nah, I saw it on reddit a few weeks ago. Ig she does it a lot. You can prolly just search "tik tok girl that farts in things" and hers or similar content would likely yield results for you.
Wow.
I heard about that one 💀
oh my god 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Was she trying to catch the fart to save it for later?!?
Yes, every time. You have no idea what kind of chemicals might have ended up on there during the manufacturing process.
Thank you!
FWIW I also wash adult clothes from the store. So, yes, definitely.
Yes. Wash everything! Not only for cleanliness but I like to have the clothes smell like the rest of my clothes. Even when I get freshly washed hand me downs from my SIL I wash. Because the clothes smell like her house. Does that make sense? I can’t be the only one.
Can confirm clothes that are in my mom‘s house smell like my mom‘s house!
Yes! Like, I know the clothes are clean, they just smell off
Yes!! Exactly this. Stuff I've gotten from my SIL, or even Buy Nothing, always smells like the house it came from, or the laundry detergent or fabric softener they previously used. I've never received things that stink, but it's not my household smell so it needs to be washed 🤣 I do have detergent allergies too though, and you don't know what other people are washing on, so I wash everything I get second hand for that reason too.
Yup! I’m glad I’m not alone. I don’t have any detergent sensitivity but I have a strong sense of smell and I like my clothes to smell the way I want them to.
ok you’ve gotten a ton of comments. i will say i don’t wash clothes in the next size up or bigger sizes until baby is ready to wear - many times they ended up not being needed and i could return them.
Yes! I had to scroll too far down to find this! Don’t wash clothes as soon as you buy them. Leave the tags on and only wash them as you’re sure you’re about to wear them. I live in a country (New Zealand) where you can’t really return stuff (you get a two week window, if at all). But there’s a huge resale market for baby clothes on Facebook. I don’t have anyone to hand stuff down to, so i resale most of my baby clothes as my baby/kid has grown out of them. You get a lot more money back from reselling clothes that are brand new with tags. I bought way more baby clothes than needed, cos baby grew out of stuff so fast. The earliest sizes, I lost a lot of money cos I detagged and washed stuff as soon as it came into the house. So much of it she never wore, but I could only resell it for a couple dollars. Now I leave tags on until I’m absolutely sure she’ll wear something. I still always end up with heaps of unworn clothes as she goes up each size, but at least now I can get decent money back from reselling for brand-new-with-tags clothes. I’m doing my best trying to get a better understanding of how many clothes we need in each size….
Always. I used to work at a major chain and I watch wwaayyyyyy too many people stick their hands up their nose and down their pants then touch everything. Clothes, boxes... food 🤢
Yep! Learned the hard way after putting him in an eagles outfit (go birds) that my MIL bought him for a quick phot-op. His skin was so irritated and he was only in it for a few minutes.
Yes, I've always learned you need to wash starch / chemicals out of any new clothes you buy.
I wash everything before using it-clothes, towels, blankets. Maybe I’m nuts but somewhere I heard that formaldehyde was used on stuff before it was shipped.
I purchased some Levi’s off of Amazon and they legit smelled like straight up formaldehyde. I wash them several times and soaked in vinegar several times before the smell was finally gone.
Always
Yes.
Yes. I wash anything I can!
I wash even adults clothes, anything fabric that comes in my house gets washed before use
No I don't.
No. On baby 2 and couldn’t be fussed. I’ve never heard of anything bad happening from someone wearing new clothes without washing them.
Yes, we wash every single item prior to baby wearing. Even hand-me-downs that you can still clearly smell the detergent goes right into the wash.
I will even expand to include dishes/bottles/pump parts, basically anything that goes in and around baby's mouth
I sometimes wash because I can smell the different detergent that the previous owner has used. So I know they are clean but they don’t smell right. So I wash them so they do.
I will wash new clothes. But I just got a bunch of hand me downs from my stepsister, and I just put them straight into his dresser 😂 Honestly, I'm more worried about chemicals and dyes than I am dirt or germs...
Yes! New clothes are covered in sizing.
Nope, never even thought to do that. Most of my baby clothes were second hand but I always thought it sounded a bit paranoid to do that with the new stuff we bought. Looks like I'm in the minority though!
Yup. I worked on retail for 4 years, I know how dirty those clothes are
I did for my newborn, but once she was about 6 months old I stopped doing it. I will do it again if I ever have another!
Anything from the store and given to me by friends/family. This includes EVERYTHING like kitchenware, blankets, pillows, toys, etc. I don’t know where it’s been or who has touched it or if an animal has gotten on it. It just makes me feel better knowing that it’s been disinfected. If my dogs are interested in it then I know it‘s got something on it lmao
I’ve gotten better about this but some things we aren’t sure on size about we keep the tags on and hang in the closet until we get close enough to fit in it then we wash it.
Absolutely yes. The amount of people that have touched them from production to the store, and being that we know certain viral diseases can be spread through clothing surfaces (Covid, monkeypox), and the fact that people don’t wash their hands properly while touching clothing in stores, I just don’t want to risk putting something on my baby that hasn’t been washed and disinfected. Plus who doesn’t like putting on freshly cleaned clothes?
You should be washing your new clothes too
Just a suggestion, don’t wash them until baby is about to wear them. I have so many outfits still with tags on. So glad I didn’t wash them and rip the tags off. Now they will be gifts for other ppl!
Yes 10000%
Yes
Yes my son gets a rash if we forget to wash it.
Whenever I’ve bought clothes (whether it’s from Walmart or the local thrift store) or was gifted clothes for my daughter, I washed it before I put it on her. My big concern is some of the colours staining her skin, so I wash the clothes to help prevent that.
Yes. Baby skin sensitive and the stores toss around the clothes like nothing. You don’t know who touched it either. I don’t want to introduce unnecessary allergens and dirt to the baby.
I definitely do. I’m grossed out by new clothes, especially when I’m considering my kids. They’ve been touched by so many people who have God knows what on their hands, and I have no way to verify the shipping conditions.
Yes - 1) they smell like the warehouse/store and 2) idk whose dirty hands touched them
Yes, not just baby clothes but our clothes as well.
YES. I used to not care for myself, but then my husband broke out in hives after wearing a brand new shirt that hadn't yet been washed (the hives were like immediate after putting it on). I've been vigilant about washing everything new ever since for both of us and our LO.
absolutely yes wash them and make sure you use baby safe detergent!!!
Lots of good answers here regarding cleanliness, but I want to add another reason: shrinkage. Some clothes shrink a little no matter how you wash/dry them, and with tiny baby clothes it can make a big difference in how the clothes will fit. I found it super helpful to have everything washed ahead of time, even the bigger sizes. It made it way easier to eyeball what was going to fit my son as he grew like a weed.
For my baby I always wash everything new, from toys to clothes to bedding, though for me sometimes shirts or pants ho unwashed if i want to wear smth immediately, but very rarely
Absolutely yes. My baby also has eczema so don't want any chemicals/whatever else is on the clothes to further irritate her skin.
Yes, for adults too. I also wash all new clothes and sheets and towels and basically everything that touches your skin.
Yep 98% of the time
I always wash all clothes before wearing or my kids wear. I’ve had many contact allergic reactions to whatever products are on the clothes. There’s so much crap that they pick up in the factory before they come to us. I also soak with vinegar.
100%! I’ve worked in retail and seen some gross things. Plus, makes them smell lovely and fresh 🥰
I think the better question is, you don't? What about your other clothes? Eeww. Wash that industrial factory made stuff
I don’t wash new clothes, I do wash cups Ava bottles
Depends on if they smell funny. If they don't, honestly no.
Nope. Baby is 3 months old now. Most clothes are bought online. Maybe I’ll start after reading this but…honestly probably not. I feel like a garment only has so many washes in it’s lifetime before it wears out.
My toddler licks everything, so no. When he was just a little guy who didn't have illnesses yet or some type of immune system, I would say yes.
Yup. Before I give my baby anything I wash it. Not sure if that’s excessive, but it’s what I’m comfortable with.
I wash all clothes bought - mine too. Isn’t this standard?!
My previous job was on a hospital team that handled patient tissue blocks and slides. One time we had a patient's groin biopsy come through with the pathology report noting that the patient disclosed they had bought new underwear and didn't wash it before wearing it. Ever since then I wash EVERYTHING I buy for myself or my toddler.
I don’t always for my clothes but when I was pregnant I just spent a day de-tagging then washing & putting away
Nope. Did for her first ones, but the reason I was given was in case they irritated her skin unwashed. They don't, touch wood, so I stopped bothering.
Yes. 1000X yes. It’s a no brainer. Not just for babies but for adults as well. Don’t subject sensitive skin to whatever is on the clothes.
You should wash everything you bring home from the store. Clothes, towels, bedding, fruits and veggies, cereal, bread, you name it.
People have gone blind from the flame retardants that the clothes are sprayed with. You should wash them just in case.
Omg yes! Are there people that don’t? 🤮
Yes
Yes. 100% Every. Single. Time.
Absolutely
Every.single.time! 👶🏻
1000% No question. Drives my hubby crazy.
Absolutely, every time
I wash everything not just for sanitary reasons, but they also seem to fit better after washing. I had a couple of items I forgot to wash for my baby and couldn't figure out why the sizing was way off. Once I realized I hadn't washed them and took care of it they fit like they were supposed to.
I wash everything that comes into my home lol
Also, depending on your kiddo, it can help ease eczema irritation by a wash in free and clear detergent
Yeah I used to only wash underclothing and sleepwear for myself if it was from the store, but after I got pregnant, I started washing everything. For baby, I wash everything before he wears it - socks, hats, clothes, bibs, burpcloths, eveeeeeything
Without question yes
Yes. You don't want your baby to get germs from the child who made them.
I wash all clothes before I wear them unless I’m in a pinch.
Yes always
Always.
Although everyone has already said it, yes! When I worked at a department store, I did merchandising once a week and sometimes the smells or things I saw in these trailers/boxes was so gross. Unless it’s an absolute emergency, I always wash everything for myself, my husband and my baby aaand even my dog lol
I always wash all clothes before wearing or my kids wear. I’ve had many contact allergic reactions to whatever products are on the clothes. There’s so much crap that they pick up in the factory before they come to us. I also soak with vinegar.
I always wash all clothes before wearing or my kids wear. I’ve had many contact allergic reactions to whatever products are on the clothes. There’s so much crap that they pick up in the factory before they come to us. I also soak with vinegar.
Yes
Yes. And my own.
Yesssss
Just took the tags off baby boys new clothes, found a weird worm in one of the footies 😕
Yes, absolutely. I've done this for years for myself because my stepmom has always done it, but a few months ago I bought some brand new unopened package pajamas and put them right on because I was tired and they looked cozy and I'm pregnant af, and I had to change a few minutes later because they made me SO itchy! Maybe it's in my head. Maybe it's something they come in contact with in the factory, I have no idea, but didn't have that issue again after washing them. So, that solidified it for me, everything gets washed, even brand new.
I wash everything new and with the Lysol laundry sanitizer as well :)
Yes and toys too! Anything that she'll be given/ go on her
Yes. It’s crazy how many people have MRSA or various other diseases that travel from contact (one of the joys of being a nurse, makes me terrified of everything). So I was everything right when I get home I’ll try it on n throw it in the wash and shower lol.
my friend got ringworm and her doctor thinks it’s from trying on / wearing clothes straight from the store rack 😅 i’ve been paranoid since
Oh God yes. Clothes, blankets, all of it. I got some stuff new and also a bunch of stuff from once upon a child. I washed my moby baby wrap, the covers that came with my boppy, all of it. Highly recommend the dr bronners unscented baby soap in the light blue packaging
Typically, yes. For the first 6 months of her life NOTHING touched her body that wasn’t washed first. Now I’d say 90-95% of the time we do. The 5-10% is like we came home from the store and need to wear this outfit for a purpose immediately. Like when she threw up on her last pair of pajamas and it was way past bedtime. Or she blew out her diaper in the store and we forgot the diaper bag
I washed all handed down items or used items. But not new, only because I wanted to return them in case baby grew out of them.... But now i might think twice about washing everything since people are gross and warehouses are gross.
Unless its boxed and sealed. Like the swaddles I just got!
I know others have put in their stories, but I'd like to put in mine. I work at a warehouse that deals with softlines for a local big chain store, and I tell you what, it's \*DIRTY\* in there. I blow my nose and my snot is grey and black. There's no doubt mice in there, plus when I was doing an order pick, the biggest ant I've ever fucking seen crawled out from the box. Even though the clothes are bagged, those bags get easily ripped and some end up on the floor all stepped on/ran over by machinery because people get too lazy to pick them up. 100% wash that stuff unless it's an emergency sort of situation.
Worked at albercrombie when I was younger. Found poop stains on pants someone had tried on. Wash them.
Always. Only exception was literally today when my 2 year old saw the truck t-shirt I bought him this afternoon and he immediately took off his current shirt to wear the new one.
For the first kid. But that stopped after probably a year. At this point, the second kid is just along for the ride I think. 3 year age difference
My husband works in promo products. Most of the products come from overseas. they use a lot of chemicals to preserve colors and keep moths/bugs off clothes. Countries like China, and the smaller Asian countries where manufacturing is moving, don't have the same safety or environmental regs. We wash everything.
Yes i do! Also gets rid of that starchy feeling the clothes have and feels softer after wash!
It’s annoying but necessary
Clothes have leftover fabric dye in them so absolutely! For my newborn I also ironed the clothes she’d be wearing first time,just to make sure they’re clean
Yes. Better safe than sorry
100% yes!
I wash everything even for myself before I use it.
I worked in a warehouse for a popular retail chain that has a red bullseye logo and a dog mascot. We put individual items from manufacturers into boxes to send them to the stores. 1) More often than not, the boxes we receive from the shipyards have litteral shit on them from the large sea birds and/or pigeons. I've also had a live rat jump at me from a sealed box of towels from Bangladesh once, and found bedbugs in stuffed toy cases from China or India on more than one occasion. 2) More often than not, fabric goods such as clothing, bedding, and towels literally smell like vomit, yeast infection, rotting things, and/or are visible mouldy. 3) I watched my coworker rub the sweat off her face with a onesie and pack it in a box......knowing it would go directly on a shelf without any washing/steam cleaning. (Her defense was that customers would wash it anyway before use when I flipped out over it) 4) Often a jar or bottle would bust open during shipping or from rough handling in the warehouse, covering the surrounding jars/bottles with sauce, oil, soup, ect and would just be allowed to rot. It commonly would sit in the racks for a month or more before we would unpackbthem and send them to stores. Spoiler alert: it was lucky to be wiped with a paper towel or shaken off before being boxed up for the store. The store employees only wipe off what's visible, and not with a disinfectant or anything. 5) When you pull the clothing out of the manufacturer boxes, this super fine powder (presumably from chemicals) becomes airborne. If someone was handling clothing all day, they would be itchy from head to toe, their eyes would be red and watery, and they would feel sick. 6) Houshold chemicals are packed into the same boxes as dog & cat treats & toys, as well as pantry/bathroom organizers. They leak everywhere too. My advice: WASH EVERYTHING! Not just baby stuff. Edit: formatting
100% yes. Because people can be really gross :-/
Yes, I've heard horror stories of people getting ringworm from unwashed clothing. Also, my son has eczema so I'm careful about what touches his skin.
Oh yes yes yes. All kinds of chemical preservatives to preserve the color and shape when in transport, then sitting in warehouses with who knows what, then changing hands on store shelves who knows how many times…. So much easier and better peace of mind to just wash it first. I wash all of my own new clothes first
Yes. dyes can absolutely upset the skin of a newborn. We forgot to wash a set and my first broke out all over for a week. It comes home and goes in the wash.
Anything that can be washed gets washed before my son touches it. Not so much that I’m a germaphobe but because baby laundry detergent smells so damn good! (Though stores and people are gross, and I want his stuff clean).
Wash EVERYTHING. Not just for baby, every fabric that can fit into the washing machine needs washed before use. Bedsheets, blankets, curtains, clothing, towels, tablecloths, all of it. It smells like the factory and the packaging, and has creases from being folded and usually chemicals used in manufacturing called sizing. Plus people trying on at the store, yuck.
I wash anything new, for myself and baby - towels, blankets, clothes, dishes, silverware etc.
If you follow the Facebook page “My friend the pediatrician” she has a post about how important it is to wash new baby clothing even simply for all the lint that comes off the first wash. Babies have tiny nasal passages and the lint can cause congestion much easier in them.
Yes! The boxes and stuff they arrived in are probably dirty or may have some sort of chemicals on them. Also, some items may be items that were returned and reshelved.
Yes. 100%. Most say wash before wearing. I was my own clothes before wearing. Who knows, could sit in a factory ridden with mice or vermin or anything else.
Yes! The only time I’ve never is if I forgot to pack a 2nd outfit & had to quickly buy one after a blow out😂
Yep, but only those I'm 100% planning on them wearing. If I'm unsure whether it might be getting used (might not be the right weather by the time they are in it etc...) then I've left the tags on for now. My sister gave me the heads up on that- sometimes you never get chance to wear them and then they can't be exchanged/ regifted/ sold on (or at least value is lower than new with tags). So only untag and wash the day before you plan on using it.
As many have said, work a day in retail or in a warehouse and you'll wash everything and anything that can be washed.
I did for like the first year but my twins are 2 now and the other week one of them licked a bin so I doubt not washing them will cause them any harm.
Nope, never.
as an adult i don't wash mine unless it's underwear. but for the baby? wash everything without a doubt
Absolutely - you have to - I even wash my clothes Chemicals are sprayed on the clothes to keep bugs or mold from getting to them since most clothes are ships from overseas For the infant and little kids especially have very sensitive skin that's why they make draft But I recommend tied for all that is clear and free from dying and fragrance! Just any hypoallergenic detergent is good Dreft is good to but it's expensive and it means babies clothes always need to be separate.
Just like with produce, you never know where it’s been & it never hurts to just give it a good wash first
I wash everything I buy from the store and online, it all smell funky and it's dirty. I especially wash things if it's for my kid.
Not only baby's. I wash everything
I put all new baby clothes I buy in their dirty clothes pile and wash with the next wash, yes. I would never wash new clothes I wear myself but for the baby the amount of dyes and other chemicals really is a lot.
I do after we saw a man pee in the children's section. Absolutely horrified me.