The safest thing to do is follow any washing instructions on the tag. But honestly, it’s nearly always fine to just wash them normally: on warm or cold, with regular decent quality detergent that doesn’t leave behind residue.

Vinegar does a good job of killing bacteria and also helping any dyes to stay set. If your washing machine has a fabric softener compartment, that’s where the vinegar would go.

And there’s no need to wash twice. If there’s stains or smoke odor or something just let them soak awhile before washing.

I just wash them normally. If you are afraid of bacteria than vinegar does the job but I wouldn't worry about it. :)

I always check the tag to see if it is dry clean only. If not, I throw it in the wash with like colors. If it is dry clean only (I wash my dry cleaning) I will put it in with maybe 2-3 other items that are of like clothing and material and wash on the most gentle setting then lay flat or hang to dry.

Just follow the washing instructions on the tag and throw some Lysol laundry sanitizer in with it, it's good stuff

I just wash them normally. If you are buying undergarments you might need to have a different procedure.

I just wash them normally but in a load by themselves as soon as I bring them home. I have never had bed bugs from thrift store clothes.

I don't try on clothes at the thrift store.

hot water and high heat drying is a nice idea, but that will ruin many clothes that aren't pre-shrunk cotton. You can either dry clean them or add a little disinfecting hand soap to a cold or warm wash.

Line drying in the sun is effective at killing beasties too, and won't shrink clothes. However, take them down soon after they are dry or the colors may fade.

I just wash them like I do the rest of my clothes. I try on pants/skirts/dresses in thrift stores. I've been shopping in them for years and have never had a problem with bringing home bugs. If you are really that considered, I wouldn't shop. The amount of stress you'll give yourself isn't worth it.

The clothes you purchased from the thrift store have probably been through someone's washer and dryer several times. I doubt there is anything that you can do to shrink them, even f you wanted to.

I would soak like colors in 1 load warm overnight with detergent and some washing soda. Resume the cycle in the morning with an extra rinse.

Use Lysol laundry sanitizer. You can use it in a presoak, or add to a rinse cycle per the instructions on the bottle.

I use white vinegar in place of fabric softener. It can help with odors

I put them in the dryer on high for half hour first to kill any possible bugs/eggs then i wash and dry as normal

just a bit of detergent alone and a cold or warm cycle is enough to get thrift store clothes clean. you can add some vinegar to the rinse cycle to “sanitize”

I just wash clothes I get in hot water. I don't think you need to worry about doing more.

Don’t put in the dryer until you wash it and are sure there’s no stains. Heat will set stains and darken oils. You can add laundry sanitizer to be sure it’s clean and odor free. For handbags I wipe down with alcohol wipes . Use on inconspicuous place first to make sure its dye fast. Then saddle soap or leather lotion. Inside can be sprayed with Lysol disinfectant and then aired. Sunshine is a heat disinfectant.

I just wash clothes like normal. If you want, you could put it through several times.

Saddle soap might be good for the leather? Or they sell stuff for leather furniture that you rub on and it is supposed to fix blemishes. If it seems fine though, I’d just leave it alone.

What I've learned from this sub...

30 minutes in a hot drier to kill things then wash as usual. Double wash or rinse if preferred.

Other things like the purse or books can go in the freezer overnight first. Then clean as usual.

I put clothes in a hot drier for 60 minutes before washing. I wipe purses with Clorox wipes and heavily spray inside with disinfectant and rubbing alcohol but first turn the lining inside out

Is anyone not washing their thrift finds??? That just seems like common sense. It's very rare for me to buy new clothes but I always wash those too. You never know where they've come from.

Thank you!! My husband thinks I'm crazy I wash whatever I buy before wearing and I make him too

I bought a blanket, white one, from a Goodwill and it was like $2.50 (very nice blanket btw) and ran it through wash/dry cycle at the hottest water temp possible, 3 times. It's just common sense you wash used stuff, right?

Most clothes will have chemicals on them to prevent mildew while in storage. Its the reason occasionally you get a fabric item that smells like vomit. Or more often just “new clothes smell”, like new car smell its chemical additives.

Spritz with cheap vodka and/or hang outside. The sun & fresh air do wonders for smells in fabrics.

“Cold” in the world of laundry care is “warm swimming pool” - 86F/30C.

Sitting around in a bucket of tap cold water with a mildly scented detergent isn’t going to get rid of this odor. You need warmer water, some mechanical action and some combination of enzymes and a color-safe bleach like OxiClean, which can be used on things like satin wedding dresses.

Sweaters can be a special case, because wool. But even cashmere and angora can be safely machine washed. So instead of trying to have a one size fits all answer, describe the individual items of concern and you’ll get better answers and when to punt to professionals.

Sunlight truly does wonders. I had a “friend” steal some sweats from me when she was cat sitting for me. When I finally got them back they absolutely reeked. Washed them several times and they still reeked. I let them sit in the sun for a full day and they finally smelled ok.

You could try soaking in a detergent + borax solution, more or less like laundry stripping, then wash again and dry in the sun. Or if it's "old people smell," try using a persimmon soap.

All of the clothes are delicate so will this affect it?

vinegar cant remove smells that are trapped in clothes fibers though. i.e. vinegar is bad at removing fats, oils, lipids (what makes up the smelly bio-film on your clothes). you need to wash on hot and use a booster like ammonia/oxiclean/enzyme to breakdown the biofilm THEN you can use vinegar to remove the smells.

The perfume in that product is very strong. Just be aware, in case anyone in your home has scent sensitivities. I've used it before, but used it as a pretreatment before a full laundry cycle with an extra rinse. Even then, I found the fragrance to be strong and a bit bothersome.

> While I could use vinegar, I won't because I don't want to damage my machine

I'm not sure how much of a risk this actually is. While it's just anecdotal, I've used vinegar (in place of fabric softener) in 99% of laundry loads over the last 15 years and have had zero problems with corrosion or damage to seals or gaskets.

For stubborn pieces that are either too fragile for a washing machine or won't come fully clean after one wash, I have a five-gallon bucket that I'll soak things in with some type of concoction. What it is depends on the fabric and what I'm trying to eliminate, but I have yet to be defeated by a piece.

Cheap vodka in a spray bottle. I personally make essential oil blends w vodka, sometimes witch hazel, and some water for an actual smell good spray. The alcohol evaporates, leaves the oil behind. Of course, with some vintage items you may not want to use essential oils because they can be very strong and could cause damage.

Vinegar rinse is very good for your washing machine. 

I use lysol laundry sanitizer (free and clear), then let it air dry in the sun for a few hours. If any smell persists, I’ll try vinegar.

I also only buy natural fibers. I try to avoid polyester, or other plastics as they can really hold onto smells.

After you wash them lay them out in the sun. The uv is really good at neutralizing odors. Generally an afternoon works well. For an example the smell of Tide is super powerful and long lasting. 4-5 hours in the sun and the smell is almost all gone.

It’s probably cuz vinegar is slightly acidic so they are worried about it eating through seals & gaskets. Which won’t happen cuz: 1. The soap in laundry detergent is usually more basic than vinegar is acidic so that would do damage first but obviously it doesn’t. 2. The acid in the vinegar will probably be neutralized by the basic of the laundry soap anyways. 3. The vinegar gets diluted by the water in the washer so it’s almost neutral that way too.

I hand wash delicate thrifted clothing and I haven't died yet. I usually use mild dish soap instead of detergent. I'm sure the washer would also be fine.

There are now a ton of laundry sanitizer detergents on the shelves that you can try. I personally would just soak it in warm/tepid water with some white vinegar then wash delicate cycle cold with your normal detergent. The vinegar should kill any cooties and will soften the cotton. I brine/ “pickle” my cotton tshirts when I get them and never have a problem with shrinking and rarely any color run. It makes them softer, removes any odors and kills germs. Also, I’m a special kind of crazy, lol.

Hang it up outside in the bright sun, before or after washing, for about an hour. UV light is a disinfectant.

Just out of curiosity, what's your concern about wearing a piece of clothing that has been washed, but not "disinfected"? Covid can survive on clothing for about two days, max, so if the item was in transit longer than that you don't have to worry. Things like lice or bedbugs would also likely not have survived the transit process, unless you got it overnighted to you.

Buy laundry sanitizer. Even with the cost, you’ll come out ahead and can sanitize more future purchases as well.

You can always pop it in the dryer for a couple of minutes if it’s just denim when it’s dry. Otherwise I would invest in a handheld steamer for future purposes. Steaming is more effective. Since it’s hot outside now you can always leave it in your car Lol. I use to do this for my work blazers. I saved money by having to dry clean less.

Clothes might have been washed before they got donated and then ended up laying in a bin under unwashed bed bug clothes for a week before it ends up on the racks

If it’s been in the thrift store it smells like thrift store. Into the wash with all textiles

Yes? I wash even new clothes from the store. After working clothing retail trust me - everything should always be washed.

They could have all the tags on them still and I would wash them before wearing them

Yes! Always. Even if they are brand new with tags