02 Mar 2025 Should You Wash New Clothes Before Wearing Them? Laundry Pros Say There’s a Right Answer

See the full article in The Spruce

By Shagun khare

Key Takeaways:

• Experts agree: you need to wash new clothes before wearing them.
• By the time new clothes get to you, they’ve already been in several environments with unknown dirt, mold, and bacteria.
• You can keep clothes looking brand new for longer with a few simple care tips.

After buying a shirt or dress you’ve just fallen in love with, it’s only natural to want to wear it right away. You might even like that new clothes smell. However, there’s always the looming thought of how many hands touched the clothing before you finally snagged it off the hanger.

So, the question is: Should you wash new clothes before you wear them? We tapped two experts for their take on if you can wear new clothes right away—or if it’s best to practice some patience.

Should You Wash New Clothes Before Wearing Them?

While it’s easy—and convenient—to toss on your new clothes on right away, experts agree that it’s best to wash them beforehand.

“For most people, the risk of anything bad happening is pretty minimal, and shrinking, fading, or changing the texture of certain fabrics is a real concern, too,” says Robin Murphy, founder of cleaning service Maid Brigade. “But, when you stop and think about all the hands those clothes have passed through, the chemicals used to keep them wrinkle-free, and even the bacteria that might be lurking from storage or trying-on, it’s a little harder to ignore.”

This tips the scale toward giving your clothes a quick wash before wearing—at least for items that come in direct contact with your skin, Murphy says.