When did you/will you stop washing baby's new clothes

[blumooned]

before s/he wears them for the first time?

I know everyone washes all the newborn clothes before the baby wears them. I've continued that & still wash all new stuff before he gets to wear it. But, I was just wondering, when do others stop doing this? Have you stopped yet? If not, when do you think you will?

TIA!!

[BetsyS]

I always wash everyone's new clothes before we wear them.

[Bokonon]

I wash everything new, for everyone in my family, and always have. I'm not a germaphobe, but I don't know what kinds of chemicals might be on them, or who has been handling them.

[Ruthla]

Originally Posted by BetsyS

I always wash everyone's new clothes before we wear them.

: I also wash everybody's 2nd hand clothes before wearing them the first time.

The only things I don't pre-wash are underpants that come in sealed packages, and socks and bras (even if they've been hanging on a busy store rack, unsealed). I probably pre-washed the newborn sized socks, since I was washing everything else for baby and it was easy to toss the socks in with the rest of the load- but by the time the baby needed more socks (either becuase she or he had outgrown the newborn size, or because they fell off and got lost and needed to be replaced) I didn't bother pre-washing them.

Oh, and I no longer pre-wash anything of DD1's. She usually washes them herself. So I guess the answer to your initial question is "I stop pre-washing baby's clothes when she starts doing her own laundry. "

[luv-my-boys]

I wash all clothing for everyone before anyone wears it. Often garments have finishing sprays on the fabric (ever wonder why garments are so nicely "pressed" looking at stores?) and since I dont know what/where the articles have been its just easier to wash before hand plus the fabric usually feels better after all that stuff is out of it.

[possum]

I wash everything that is new to us before we wear it.

Melinda

[mommy2two babes]

Originally Posted by possum

I wash everything that is new to us before we wear it.

This

[staceychev]

Me too. Well, mostly everything. DH usually gets sweatshirts and hoodies on his back before I get a chance.

[sunshynbaby]

I wash everything before using it. The fabric has been stored in warehouses with rat poison and treated with who knows what kinds of chemicals.

[MissMommyNiceNice]

I'm hit or miss with this. I'm less likely to wash something I purchase "new" from a store for us or the toddler. Unless I bring it home & am doing laundry right away. On the other hand, I always wash underwear & socks before wearing them. I know, I"m a wierdo.

As for consignment things, usually yes, but just yesterday DS2 puked all over himself and instead of running upstairs to get something new, I threw on the cute outfit I had just got from the upscale consignment shop in our area. I have no rationalle for it really.

[Jaesun's Dad]

Heck I've been washing most of my own clothing for years before wearing it the first time and I'm a dirty, stinky, sweaty old dude. :-p New clothes almost always seem to have a chemical smell. Plus you can never really be too sure that even packaged "new" clothing hasn't actually been worn and returned by someone, and things I buy on the rack I don't even really want to think about other people trying on when I see some of the other people shopping around me (think shoes, then think of market street in San Francisco!).

I guess I won't be quite as protective when he's getting dirtier than his clothes and I can see making exceptions: like going to a ball game and getting a jersey he'd probably want to wear it right away and I think that would be fine. But as a general policy I think most everything will still be going through the washer first forever.

[Julie1014]

I always* do

*unless they are new clothes/pjs for DS and he absolutely HAS to wear them THIS instant

[TexasG]

I wash everyone's clothing before wearing. Never know what happened to it before it got to me!

[blumooned]

Thanks for all the input! You've all sufficiently grossed me out!
Well, not really, but enough that I will continue pre-washing all his clothes. And I'll start washing all mine & DP's too before we wear them. I guess I hadn't really thought to before, but will now.

[lalemma]

I pre-wash EVERYTHING. I am not phobic about germs or "toxins", and I didn't always do this (I used to sometimes wear socks or underwear straight from the store) but then I realized what the manufacturing and supply chain of clothing actually looked like, and how much weird stuff I wouldn't want on my skin was likely to be in new textiles.

And I wash used stuff just because I don't know how it's been stored or washed previously (I don't use fabric softener.) - not because I am really worried about dirt or anything. I figure dirt and germs are the least of our problems.

[akat]

I also wash everything, new or 2nd hand, before any of us wear it.

But wanted to add, our childbirth class instructor said we should wash all non-organic cotton baby clothes twice before wearing because of the pesticides.

[cristeen]

I'm with everyone else. I prewash everything. But I have a more immediate reason - I'll get hives if I don't.

[Abraisme]

Originally Posted by BetsyS

I always wash everyone's new clothes before we wear them.

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by BetsyS

I always wash everyone's new clothes before we wear them.

Yep, all kinds of dyes and chemicals.. loose threads, packing materials, etc.

[bananabee]

New clothes are treated with formaldehyde, which is often called "sizing". It repells dirt, prevents wrinkles and fading. It's a poison and carcinogen. I'm allergic to it and have to wash new clothing and bedding about 6 times before I can touch it w/o having a bad reaction. Darker clothing I may have to wash even more times, as it seems to be harder to get it out.