Second-hand clothes shoppers have been given a big warning by scientists that vintage items are ‘swimming in germs’ – News

Scientists have warned that the new vintage clothes you buy could be full of pathogens, but thankfully there are ways to keep ourselves safe.

Shopping for second hand clothes It’s always worth it when you see a one-of-a-kind vintage piece; especially if it comes with a reasonable price tag.

Not just buying second hand eco-friendly, but good for you too bank accountmore.

An expert warns about second-hand clothes (Getty Stock Photo)

But experts warn shoppers to be careful after a new outbreak report Revealed how clothes can hold so many things germs.

Senior lecturer in Clinical Microbiology at the University of Leicester, Dr. “The demand for second-hand and vintage clothing has increased over the last few years,” said Primrose Freestone. wrote In Speech.

“Secondhand fashion is seen by many consumers as a cheaper, more environmentally friendly way to expand their wardrobe.

“But no matter how excited you are to wear your next second-hand item, it’s important to properly disinfect it first.

“This is because clothing can actually be an important reservoir for many infectious diseases.”

Our skin naturally hosts millions of bacteria, also called its microbiome; This means that the clothes we wear are constantly in contact with different types of bacteria, fungi and viruses.

However, each person’s microbiome is different, so what is harmless to one may be harmful to another.

Second-hand clothes are seen as cheaper and more environmentally friendly (Getty Stock Photo)

Dr. Freestone explained that clothes are a ‘well-known’ carrier of pathogens and that there is a bigger problem if clothes are not adequately cleaned beforehand.

“Clothing is a well-known carrier of many disease-causing pathogens,” he explained.

“This means that microbes from the unique skin microbiome of the original clothing owner may still be present in second-hand clothing if the items have not been cleaned before being sold.

“This also means that any infection or pathogens they had when they last wore the clothes may still be there.”

How to stay safe when buying second-hand clothes?

Of course, there is a very simple way to avoid this problem; This means washing second-hand items thoroughly and at a high enough temperature to eliminate pathogens.

Dr. “It is recommended to wash newly purchased second-hand clothes with detergent at approximately 60°C,” Freestone said.

“This will not only remove dirt from clothes, but it will also remove germs and neutralize pathogens. Cold water will not do much good at getting rid of pathogens in clothes.”

“So if high-temperature washing is not possible, use laundry disinfectant to kill any existing germs.”

It is best to wash second-hand clothes at high temperatures (Getty Stock Photo)

While it’s easy to toss secondhand clothes into the same pile as your laundry, Dr. Freestone also recommends keeping your own clothes separate from your pre-loved items until they’ve been thoroughly washed.

This is to prevent cross-contamination in case any pathogens are present.