Can You Catch Anything From Second-Hand Clothes? (2026)

Can you catch anything from second-hand clothes? The risk is low if you wash items before wearing them. Op shops don’t launder stock. Germs and odours from sorting, storage, and handling are removed by a normal machine wash with detergent. Skip items with visible mould or pest damage.

For why stores don’t wash donations, see do op shops wash clothes.

What can be on second-hand clothes?

In rare cases, clothing can harbour bacteria, fungi, or pests. Common bacteria on fabric are usually managed with proper laundry, as NSW Health laundry guidance notes for household washing.

Organisms commonly don’t survive long on dry fabric. The main reason to wash is general hygiene: items pass through donation bins, sorting rooms, and shop floors before you buy them. So treat op shop finds like any other second-hand textile, not like a medical hazard.

If a garment smells of mildew or shows mould spots, leave it. No bargain is worth fighting embedded spores in a cotton knit.

Real risks vs myths

Most viral panic about thrift clothing doesn’t match how dry fabric behaves at room temperature. Wash, dry thoroughly, and you’re covering the realistic risks for everyday garments.

Why washing is the best solution

Charities lack resources to launder every donation before sale. That makes the final wash your responsibility, and it’s the step that matters most.

A standard machine cycle with detergent removes or inactivates most common germs. Warm or hot water helps on durable cotton and denim. Delicates need cold wash plus thorough drying. Don’t skip the dry step on humid days, or you’ll trade one smell for another.

But you don’t need specialty disinfectant for a normal tee. Detergent plus time in the machine is enough for most thrifted clothing.

Your simple hygiene routine

1. Wash at the right temperature

Cotton and denim: warm or hot wash (around 60°C) where the care label allows. Delicates: cold wash; detergent does most of the work.

2. Dry thoroughly

Tumble drying on high heat adds another kill step. No dryer? Dry in direct sunlight. UV helps disinfect fabric surfaces.

3. Steam or iron when needed

Structured blazers or dry-clean-only pieces benefit from a garment steamer. Useful for designer finds you can’t machine wash.

4. When to leave an item on the rack

Skip clothes with mould spots, strong permanent odour, or visible pest damage. No wash fixes those reliably.

Hygiene in shared laundry households

Housemates and family laundry: run op shop finds in a dedicated load first if anyone has skin sensitivities. Hypoallergenic detergent helps for baby clothes. You’re not being dramatic; you’re keeping the shared machine predictable.

Dry Queensland summer sun dries cotton quickly after washing; humid coastal cities can need extra dryer time to prevent mildew smell in thick knits. If your flat only has a balcony, give heavy towels and hoodies a second sunny day before you fold them away.

Australian climate and op shop laundry tips

Humid summers in Brisbane and northern NSW mean thick op shop knits need full dryer cycles or sun drying to avoid musty smell. Melbourne winter coats can arrive with mothball scent; air outside then wash according to the care label.

Public laundromats charge $4 – $8 per load in most capitals. One hot wash for a week’s op shop haul still beats retail price on the clothes themselves. Skip items with visible mould regardless of bargain price; no wash reliably fixes embedded spores.

Children’s op shop clothes are safe after a standard wash. Check snap buttons on bodysuits and remove drawstrings on older kids’ hoodies to meet current product safety expectations.

Frequently Asked Questions