There are still a lot of myths and misconceptions around the second-hand stuff. The most common of them is a thing that used to belong to someone else, can carry "bad energy" and be a spreader of infections. If the former simply does not stand up to criticism, then we have decided to deal with the second statement. Does one need to wash a thing after purchasing it in a second hand? What do they do with clothes in vintage shops? Can jackets, dresses and other wardrobe items belonging to someone else before you be dangerous?
In most European countries and in the United States, where vintage clothing comes from, there are systems for collecting, sorting, processing and selling second-hand clothing, developed systems of multi-stage thermal and chemical disinfecting and disinfecting treatment. This makes it safe for future use.
The specific aroma of second hand, which many people confuse with the "smell of junk", is actually the result of such treatment. This aroma, frankly speaking, is not very similar to a selective perfume, moreover, the hygienic treatment does not eliminate dust and stains on clothes.
Second-handy things for which are bought with bales from European or American factories are popular in Russia for a long time - these clothes are already sorted and cleaned, it has all the certificates of conformity and safety. For professional vintage shops in Russia cleaned and safe goods are selected individually in vintage shops in Europe or America. Here they are also cleaned additionally to comply with Russian sanitary standards.
However, in addition to proven vintage cars, commissions and seconds, there are also services like "Avito", where, unfortunately, there are no safety guarantees. Therefore, if you are not sure of the origin of the thing, then take it to the dry cleaner after purchase or wash, and then carefully iron with a hot iron, if the instructions for care allows.
Is there a risk of transmission of infections, particularly those affecting the skin and mucous membranes?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to give an unambiguous answer. The fact is that the generalizing concept of "second hand" includes and the collapse of the unsorted clothing in the open-air bazaars, and large shops with the sale of things to weight, and modern commissions branded clothing, little different from the branded boutiques.
Most of the inexpensive second-hand clothing works with clothes that come to the store from large warehouses. It is brought to the warehouse in large bales with accompanying documentation on the treatment (dry cleaning), without which it is impossible to cross the border - this is if we talk about clothes from abroad. The question is how long and under what conditions these clothes were stored after processing, how well they were packed and how long they were in the store. But you should agree that these questions can be safely asked in the situation with new clothes because the number of allowed fittings before buying on the label does not indicate.
In 2011, the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene published a detailed report on the risks of infection transmission with clothing and the role of laundries. The document was based on the analysis of the results of scientific research conducted around the world since 1997. It appears that the greatest risks of transmission arise immediately after exposure of tissue to an infected source and decrease over time as the number of viable microbial units decreases. Viruses and many gram-negative bacteria (e.g. Escherichia coli) remain on the surface of the tissue for several hours. However, bacteria that are resistant to drying out, such as clostridium, Staphylococcus aureus (including MRSA) and fungal spores, can persist for up to several days or even weeks.
Given that many can afford to wash things in a machine, the real risk of infection transmission through clothing in everyday life is less than the risk of contact pathway transmission through hands and surfaces in contact with food. So it is worth washing the item immediately after purchase to prevent possible skin, respiratory and intestinal infections.
Essential clarifications. Antimicrobial action of automatic washing is due to a combination of mechanical, thermal and chemical factors. Its key parameters: water temperature in the main cycle is not less than 70 degrees, the duration of the main cycle is not less than twenty-five minutes, the use of washing powder with bleach (oxygen or chlorine), as well as the maximum revolutions when spinning. Most recommendations also specify the ironing of clothing on both sides and/or steam treatment as a mandatory step to complete the treatment.
Not every garment will withstand this test, especially if washing this type of fabric is contraindicated. Dry cleaning will then help.