Second-hand clothes shoppers given huge warning by scientists over vintage items ‘swimming in germs’

Scientists have warned that your new vintage clothes purchase could be crawling with pathogens, but thankfully there's ways to keep ourselves safe.

Second-hand clothes shopping is always worth it when you spot a one-of-a-kind vintage piece - especially if it comes with a reasonable price tag.

Not only is buying second-hand environmentally friendly, but it's good for your bank account, too.

But experts are warning pre-loved shoppers to be vigilant after a new report revealed how clothing can harbour a lot of germs.

"Demand for secondhand and vintage clothing has surged within the last few years," Dr. Primrose Freestone, a senior lecturer in Clinical Microbiology at the University of Leicester wrote in The Conversation.

"Pre-owned fashion is seen by many consumers as a cheaper, more environmentally friendly way to expand their wardrobe.

"But as excited as you might be to wear your next secondhand purchase, it's important you disinfect it properly first.

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

The skin naturally holds millions of bacteria - also referred to as its microbiome - meaning the clothing we wear is constantly in contact with different types of bacteria, fungi and viruses.

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

Dr. Freestone explained that clothing is a 'well known' carrier of pathogens and is more of an issue if the clothes haven't been cleaned sufficiently prior.

"Clothing is a well-known carrier of many disease-causing pathogens," she explained.

"This means that germs from the original clothes owner's unique skin microbiome could still be found on second-hand clothes if the items weren't cleaned prior to selling.

"It also means that any infections or pathogens they might have had when they last wore the clothes could still be found there."

How to stay safe while buying second-hand clothes

Of course, there's a pretty straightforward way to avoid this issue and that's to wash any second-hand items thoroughly and at a temperature high enough to eliminate pathogens.

"It's recommended that you wash newly purchased secondhand clothes with detergent at a temperature of around 60°C," said Dr. Freestone.

"This will not only clean any dirt from the clothes, but will also remove germs and inactivate pathogens. Cold water will not work as well to get rid of pathogens within clothing.

"So if a high-temperature wash isn't possible, then use a laundry disinfectant to kill any germs present."

While it's easy to chuck second-hand clothes in the same pile as your laundry, Dr. Freestone also recommends keeping your own clothes separate from the pre-loved items until they've been thoroughly washed.

This is in order to prevent cross-contamination, should there be any pathogens present.