Jan 20 2025 2 mins 3
For a certain subset, little compares to the thrill of a thrift-store find. A pair of Dolce & Gabanna pants marked down to a squeal-worthy price. Or maybe it’s a pair of vintage Levi’s that fit like they were made for you.
It’s a good, clean hobby that helps fight fast fashion and keeps tons of clothing from clogging landfills.
Wait, did we say “clean?” Experts say no matter how excited you might be to wear your latest finds, it’s vital that you wash and disinfect them first.
Clothes can contain germs — bacteria, fungi, viruses, even parasites — that can make you sick.
Everyone’s skin is coated in millions of germs, which means any item of clothing we wear comes in close contact with them. Sometimes your vintage find has been laundered. Sometimes it hasn’t.
If the clothing hasn’t been cleaned, it could be carrying the bacteria behind staph infections or the dreaded antibiotic-resistant MRSA [mer-sah]. It could carry the virus that causes human papillomavirus, which can cause cancers for those who haven’t been vaccinated. The possibilities, unfortunately, are endless.
The temperature you’re looking to kill the bulk of these germs is 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Most home washing machines have a “hot” temperature around 130 degrees, so you might need to select “extra hot” or the “sanitize” setting, if available.
If you can’t wash the item in hot water or bake it in the dryer, a laundry sanitizer added to the wash should do the trick.
Those who are immunocompromised should follow these tips like the law.
If you’re thinking you’ve outsmarted germs because you only buy new clothes, don’t forget: It’s generally been pawed over and tried on, too.
