Do You Need to Wash New Clothes Before You Wear Them?

Do you really have to wash new clothes before you wear them? I remember as a kid my mom would always do just that. But her reason for doing it may not have been for the most scientific reason.

She would wash our new clothes before we wore them so they would "break in". Some people do it because they're worried they might catch something from all the other people who have possibly tried those clothes on already.

But that apparently rarely happens. Viruses, bacteria, and funguses don't really transfer to fabric very well.

The real reason you should wash new clothes before you wear them is because of the chemicals they may be coated in.

Sometimes companies spray them with preservatives (who knew?) like formaldehyde to prevent mildew while they're being shipped. And that could cause a rash, especially if you have sensitive skin.

There is another instance where you should always wash an item first and that's if it's something intimate, like a bathing suit or lingerie.

That's a whole different ballgame when you're talking about clothes that cover your groin region. So always wash stuff like that before you wear and always try it on over your underwear.