Do you wash new clothes?

Katherine - posted on 12/04/2010 ( 13 moms have responded )

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Who doesn't enjoy shopping for new clothes or giving a loved one or friend a new sweater as a gift? Most people these days certainly do take a degree of satisfaction from purchasing new clothing, however, everyone
should be aware that new clothes, towels or even sheets might contain toxic chemicals like formaldehyde. Formaldehyde? Yep, that's right, the chemical used in biology labs for preserving dead animals and body parts. But why would anyone put formaldehyde on clothing? There are several reasons that manufacturers use formaldehyde. It is believed that some of the chemicals help keep the fabric stain free, wrinkle free and disinfected. But more importantly, it should be made clear that formaldehyde is considered a carcinogen, a cancer causing agent.

Strangely enough, when clothes have a fresh, new scent to them, it's from the chemicals used during their manufacture. Some people have very sensitive skin and can break out in a rash from the formaldehyde and other chemicals without even realizing their rash is from the clothes. Even those people who don't have a reaction are at risk since continued exposure to carcinogens could increase their chances of contracting cancer. Therefore, all new clothing and fabrics in general should be washed prior to wearing or using them.

UGH!!!!!!!!

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13 Comments

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Renae - posted on 01/03/2011

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Julianne - huh, ok, that makes sense. I def read that about the rinsing, but where or when or whether it was reputable (clearly not!) I dont remember. :)

Julianne - posted on 01/02/2011

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They spray the clothing to preserve it, rinsing before selling would defeat the purpose.

Renae - posted on 01/01/2011

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I thought regulations got changed so that new clothes had to rinsed in boiling water after manufacture to remove any chemicals? I mean, I'm not saying that I trust that every manufacturing plant actually does it, but I'm sure I read something about this a few years ago.

Julianne - posted on 12/20/2010

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i have experienced that smell before! from my shoes...i just bought them and went out in the rain. when i came in i put them by the heater, so they would dry. then i got this chemical smell coming from them, and it wasn't a plastic smell. I dont know what formaldehyde smells like...it could have been that.

Aleks - posted on 12/20/2010

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LOL I don't usually iron jeans either (actually I don't really iron full stop...LOL) but my very helpful (but in a very male way) other half hung up the washing and he does not tend to "flick the wet clothes" before he hangs them up!!! Which means that they dry very crinkled.... and so this was the case with the said jeans... (other clothes too, but it was the jeans with the nasty smells of you know what).

Katherine - posted on 12/18/2010

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Omg, Alexsandra! I never iron my jeans, but to think that happens is very undaunting.

Aleks - posted on 12/17/2010

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yeah.. i knew... the jeans that i bought for me and my son... washed and then started to iron them... that is when that oh so wonderful smell (NOT) of formaldehyde rose up in the air.... I though to myself WTF???? I couldn't believe it... in jeans... I mean I washed them, mine were already washed several times before that and I could still smell that nasty in them!!!

Don't just wash the new clothes/fabrics... SOAK them for days. I say....

Awfull! And then we wonder why incidence of ... blah blah blah is rising.... just look at what we wear, eat and where we sleep.... nasty chemicals followed by more nasty chemicals!!!

Meghan - posted on 12/14/2010

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do we have to take the hangers out too? God, kids these days are so spoiled.
But seriously I do wash them and I never once thought about chemicals...I just think about other people touching them with their dirty/snotty/just wiped their ass and didn't wash hands.

Nikki - posted on 12/11/2010

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Shit, darn I am too impatient when I buy something new! But wow that's scary, I will wash from now on!

Julianne - posted on 12/05/2010

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wow, i am far from perfect lol. I'm hypersensitive to artificial stuff in the environment is the main reason i eat and live the way i do. I also had stomach problems and linked it to food, so i eliminated the bad things and cured my stomach. Its not hard when you get the hang of it. I was kind of pushed to it...

Katherine - posted on 12/05/2010

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Oh, you are like the perfect person! You live so well, I'm jealous.

Julianne - posted on 12/04/2010

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most of my clothing is second hand....i love recycling that much...haha thrift stores have the best clothes :D

Any time i do buy new stuff i always wash it. My skin is very sensitive. I thought it was just the sent and starch or whatever they put in it..But formaldehyde??? wow..