Second-hand clothes could be breeding grounds for pathogens - what should you be careful of when buying second-hand clothes?
Demand for second-hand clothing has skyrocketed in recent years, with some people using it as a cheap way to expand their fashion options, while others prefer to wear second-hand clothes as a way to live a more environmentally friendly life. However,
Secondhand clothes can be swimming in germs – what vintage shoppers need to know
https://theconversation.com/secondhand-clothes-can-be-swimming-in-germs-what-vintage-shoppers-need-to-know-242510
Human skin is home to a large number of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, collectively known as the skin microbiome. The microorganisms that make up the skin microbiome include pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus , which causes staphylococcal infections , Streptococcus aureus, which causes streptococcal pharyngitis , Candida albicans , a fungus that causes candidiasis , and human papillomavirus (HPV) , which is associated with cervical cancer.
Each individual's skin microbiome is adapted to the individual, and what may be normal and harmless for one person may be harmful for another. Clothing is in constant contact with human skin, making it prone to the transfer of pathogenic bacteria that live in the skin microbiome.
Second-hand clothes sold in thrift stores haven't necessarily been dry-cleaned, so they may carry bacteria from the original owner's skin microbiome and pathogens from any infections they may have had.
The microbes that make up the skin microbiome feed on amino acids in sweat, sebum, and proteins in skin cells, so they can easily survive on human clothing. Most microbes need water to grow, so areas that tend to get wet, such as the armpits, feet, and around the genitals, are particularly rich in the amount and variety of microbes. Food debris on clothes also serves as a nutrient source for all kinds of bacteria and fungi.
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In fact, a study of clothes sold in second-hand shops in Pakistan found the presence of Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus in many of the samples taken, while a study in Iran found parasites in second-hand clothes that could cause skin infections.
While it's difficult to estimate the actual risk of catching an infection from second-hand clothing, immunocompromised people are at particular risk, so Freestone advises buying second-hand clothes and washing them before wearing them.
'We recommend washing any newly purchased second-hand clothes in hot water, around 60 degrees, with detergent. This not only cleans the clothes but also removes bacteria and inactivates pathogens. Cold water doesn't work well to remove pathogens in clothes, so if high temperature washing isn't possible, use a laundry sanitizer to kill any bacteria present,' Freestone says.
Other effective methods include washing old clothes separately from regular laundry when first washing them, soaking them in hot water with antibacterial laundry detergent for 2-3 hours before washing, and using a hot tumble dryer or steam iron.
'Many second-hand clothing sellers claim they wash their clothes before selling them, but that's not guaranteed, so I always recommend washing any second-hand clothes you buy, and washing any new clothes you buy before wearing them,' Freestone said.
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