DO you put away new clothes in your wardrobe after buying them?
A dermatologist has warned you should ALWAYS wash them first, and you can be at risk from infection and even thrush if you don’t.
Dr Faheem Latheef told Fabulous: “Washing clothes, even if they are new, is highly recommended as people may have worn and returned items or tried them in the store – not to mention the potential for dyes, chemicals and skin irritants to still be present on a newly purchase items.
“Clothing such as underwear or swimwear is potentially more likely to have germs on it due to exposure to faeces and urine and infections like thrush, and if someone is unwell this could be transferred to another person through clothing.”
This comes as a new study by Beko revealed that almost half (44.7 per cent) of Brits don’t wash new clothes before wearing them.
And they also found 22 per cent of people have worn an item and returned it unwashed.
Dr Latheef said germs can survive on fabrics for “quite some time”, and washing items will greatly reduce the risk of transmission.
He added: “Although normal washing of clothes can reduce the risk of skin irritants and germs being transmitted, in certain situations clothes need to be washed at higher-than-normal temperatures (60C) to minimise the transmission risk as much as possible.
“We would also recommend washing all new dark clothing and bed linens at least twice before use and avoiding fabrics that fade.
“Although the germs are often harmless, some can cause infection particularly in susceptible individuals, for instance people who either have an impaired immune system or if you have cuts or bruises on the skin allowing these microbes to penetrate our defence mechanism.
“Staphylococcus (staph) can cause infection and is more likely to impact those with eczema and cause flare-ups.
“Verrucae or warts are also caused by a virus, often HPV virus, that can spread through shared contact, however, this is more unlikely.”
The laundry experts at Beko said: “We all want to keep ourselves and our families as healthy as we can and reduce the spread of germs and allergens.
“Washing your laundry at high temperatures (above 56C) can help eliminate bacteria and viruses.
“Look out for Anti-Allergy programmes and the HygieneTherapy programme on some Beko washing machines and washer dryers which provide an even more hygienic wash, killing up to 99 per cent of bacteria and allergens.
“If you are worried about washing new clothing, look for a wash programme that will deliver a kinder wash for your garments, such as Beko’s AquaTech, which replaces harsh drum movements to deliver 50 per cent faster, 50 per cent more gentle washes.”
Meanwhile, this dermatologist has advised against showering every day.
Plus these five items in your bathroom could be triggering nasty infections and making you sick.
And these are the 12 best make-up products for sensitive eyes in 2022.