By Timothy Oommen, Owner — Laundini Laundromat | laundinilaundromat.com
Yes.
That’s the answer. The rest of this post is explaining why, because people debate this constantly and the debate shouldn’t be as close as it is.
What’s Actually on New Clothes When You Buy Them
New clothes feel clean. They’re crisp, they smell like a store, they come folded in packaging. The assumption is that they’re fresh and ready to wear.
They are not.
Here is what is typically on a new garment before it’s been washed:
Chemical finishes. Most new clothing — particularly anything marketed as wrinkle-resistant, stain-resistant, shrink-resistant, or moisture-wicking — has been treated with chemical finishes applied during manufacturing. Formaldehyde resins are among the most common, used to help fabric hold its shape and resist wrinkling. These are effective at what they do. They are also skin irritants for many people and can cause contact dermatitis, rashes, and itching — particularly in areas where the fabric sits close to skin for extended periods.
Dye that hasn’t fully set. New fabric bleeds. Some more than others, some colors more than others — red and dark blue are the most notorious — but virtually all new colored clothing has excess dye that hasn’t fully bonded with the fiber. That dye comes off on your skin, on other clothing, on furniture. It comes off less harmfully in a wash cycle, where it goes down the drain.
Manufacturing residue. Fabric goes through a significant industrial process before it becomes a garment. Sizing agents, lubricants used in weaving and sewing machinery, bleaching agents, and various other chemicals are part of that process. Not all of them are fully removed before the garment is packaged.
Other people. Clothing in a store has been tried on. Handled. Returned after wearing. Shipped in containers with dozens of other garments. The idea that new clothing is hygienically clean before washing is optimistic.
The Formaldehyde Issue Specifically
This one deserves its own section because it surprises people.
Formaldehyde resins are used widely in textile manufacturing across the world. They’re particularly prevalent in clothing manufactured in countries with less stringent chemical regulations. The United States has some restrictions on formaldehyde levels in textiles but does not ban its use outright.
The amounts in any individual garment are generally considered low enough to be safe for most people. But for people with sensitive skin, eczema, or chemical sensitivities, even low levels of formaldehyde resin in fabric can cause significant skin reactions. And the reaction is cumulative — the longer the fabric sits against your skin, the more exposure you get.
Washing removes most of the formaldehyde resin from fabric before it ever touches your skin. It also removes the other chemical finishes, the excess dye, and the manufacturing residue.
One wash. Before the first wear. That’s all it takes.
The Arguments People Make for Not Washing
“It’ll shrink.” This is the most common objection. Some items will shrink on their first wash — particularly anything made of natural fibers like cotton, wool, or linen that hasn’t been pre-shrunk. But this is an argument for washing before wearing, not against it. Better to learn an item’s true size before you’ve committed to it fitting a specific way. If it’s going to shrink, you want to know immediately.
“It looks so good right now and washing will change it.” This is true. The chemical finishes that make new clothes look crisp and feel structured will partially wash out. The garment will soften. But those finishes are temporary anyway — they degrade with wear and body heat whether or not you wash first. You’re not preserving the new-item look by skipping the wash. You’re just delaying the inevitable while wearing the chemicals in the meantime.
“I just want to wear it now.” Understood. But you’re going to wear it for years. One wash first is a very small investment.
What to Do on the First Wash
A few specific things apply to the first wash of a new item that don’t apply to subsequent washes:
Wash alone or with similar new items. New dye bleeds most aggressively in the first wash. A new red shirt in a load of whites on its first wash is how you dye everything pink. Wash new items — especially dark or deeply colored ones — alone or only with items of similar color for the first wash.
Cold water. For the first wash of any colored item, cold water minimizes dye bleed and reduces the risk of shrinkage. Even if the item will eventually be washed in warm water, start cold.
Inside out. Turn dark and colored items inside out for the first wash. This protects the outer surface from the agitation that causes the most dye bleed and surface wear.
Check for bleeding. After the first wash, look at the water or check the drum. If significant dye came out, run a second cold wash before putting the item with anything else.
The Items Where This Matters Most
Jeans. Dark denim bleeds aggressively. New jeans should be washed alone, inside out, in cold water before being worn or put near anything you don’t want to turn slightly blue.
Dark t-shirts and tops. Same principle. New dark items bleed in a way that fades as you continue to wash them, but the first wash is the most significant.
Underwear and socks. These sit directly against skin all day. The case for washing before wearing is strongest here — both for hygiene and to remove any manufacturing chemicals before they spend eight hours in contact with your most sensitive skin.
Baby clothes. This is non-negotiable. Baby skin is significantly more sensitive and permeable than adult skin. Every new item of baby clothing should be washed before it touches a baby, without exception, in a hypoallergenic fragrance-free detergent.
Workout gear. Activewear often has the most aggressive chemical finishes — moisture-wicking treatments, anti-odor coatings, compression fabric treatments. Wash before wearing, especially for items that will be worn in high-sweat activities.
What We Do at Laundini
When new clothing comes through our service — flagged in the order notes or identified by us during sorting — we treat it as a first-wash item. Cold water, inside out for dark items, washed separately from established loads where the color history is known.
If you have a new item you’re nervous about — something expensive, something with a difficult color — flag it in your order notes and we’ll give it the appropriate first-wash treatment before it goes anywhere near the rest of your laundry.
The Short Answer
Wash new clothes before wearing them. Every time. One cold wash removes chemical finishes, excess dye, manufacturing residue, and anything accumulated during shipping, handling, and trying-on. The item will be genuinely clean, will fit true to its washed size, and will have lost none of the quality that makes it worth wearing — only the chemicals that don’t belong on your skin.
This is not a debate. It’s a hygiene habit.
Book your pickup at laundinilaundromat.com. New haul that needs a first wash? We’ve got it. All of Cook County, $1.50/lb, free delivery, 24-hour turnaround.
Timothy Oommen is the founder and owner of Laundini Laundromat, with locations in Evanston, Bucktown, Skokie, and Wheeling, IL.