IF you are only washing your new household items after the first time you use them, you might be missing a crucial first step. Even if they look clean, clothes bought off the rack have been touched, tried on, and hauled around factories before you buy them. Besides the dozens of people who potentially tried the clothes on before you purchased them — and even if you buy online, where try-ons are admittedly less likely — clothes must travel from factory to warehouse to store, potentially picking up germs along the way. But even if you aren’t worried about potential pathogens, there could be unknown skin irritants lingering in the cloth fibers. Most of the chemicals used in dyeing fabric and putting those finishes on yarns that allow them to be processed through spinning equipment are known skin irritants. This is why it’s especially important to pre-launder intimates like underwear. There are many ways to disinfect your clothes — you can toss some white vinegar and mouthwash in your next load of laundry, for example — to guarantee a germ-free first wear, but a standard wash is probably enough to get them ready to wear. This applies to bedsheets too. For all of the reasons above, you’ll also want to wash your new towels, but you should also do so in order to make sure they will actually get you dry after a shower. Washing towels before use will remove any residue from the manufacturing process — including special coatings formulated to make them look attractive on the shelf that might impede them doing their jobs and actually absorbing water. Pots and pans may have been sitting on a shelf for who knows how long and touched by hundreds of fingers before you bring them into your kitchen. It’s pretty self-explanatory why silverware, pots, pans, and other kitchen supplies should be washed before first use, but it doesn’t hurt to reiterate it. There is no way of telling how many hands have touched that mixing bowl before putting it back on the shelf, so you’ll want to make sure any germs from strangers’ hands are gone before eating or drinking from the cookware. Additionally, a thin layer of oil or protective coating has been applied to the utensils so that they don’t get scratched or damaged during transit. To prevent anyone from ingesting this coating, hand wash your cookware and utensils with dish soap and water or throw them in the dishwasher before use. The same goes for reusable water bottles and pitchers. If you are a new parent, you’ve probably been doing this all along, but it’s a best practice to wash your kids’ toys regularly. (SD-Agencies) | 