Pardeep
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As a kid, did your Mom always take you shopping for clothes? Back home when you would be dying to wear those new clothes she would instead wash 'em and you would wonder why. My mom would insist that the clothes might have too many germs because ‘God knows where the shopkeeper stored them.’
As you grow up and shop for more and more clothes, (perhaps you get a little lazy), you don’t really care about washing and wearing clothes fresh off the rack. Now hold your breath because this research will make you go ughhhh!!!
A research conducted by Dr. Philip Tierno, director of microbiology and immunology at New York University for ABC’s television show Good Morning America, found that new clothes stocked away in stores are teeming with germs. Dr Tierno tested 14 designer and regular clothing items for germs and found…(hold your breath)… respiratory, yeast and skin particles. But the worst of all was he found fecal particles and vaginal germs on a blouse!
According to the researcher the most contaminated areas of these clothes were the armpits and the groin.
Why so many germs?
Because so many people tried them on before you! And these people may not adhere to the same standards of personal hygiene just as you do.
We spoke to iDiva’s skin expert Dr Apratim Goel who was appalled with these findings. She shares her insight, “This research is an eye opener. It is true that woven clothes retain germs and if they are not stored under proper conditions in the warehouse, they will get contaminated. In a humid climate such as ours, bacteria and germs thrive. So, it becomes all the more important to store clothes properly.”
You may think that since you have made your purchase from a fancy store your pretty dress might be sanitised. But if truth be told no one knows how many people tried that dress or under what conditions it was stored.
Other suspects:
Make-up and shoes (especially leather) are easy breeding grounds for bacteria and germs. Your feet carry so many germs. You might be wearing brand new shoes but they might be carrying germs left by the person who tried on the shoe before you.
Make-up, especially testers, are teeming with germs precisely for the same reasons.
Protect yourself:
Dr Tierno in his research suggested that you must wear adequate underwear (and not teensy weensy panties) and your own clothes underneath (perhaps a thin vest) while trying on clothes in a trial room. He also recommends washing your hands after shopping. Dr Tierno and Dr Goel strongly advise top wash new clothes before wearing them.
Always wear your socks while trying on new shoes and it is advisable to spray a sanitiser if you brought them home.
As for make-up testers, insist on cleaning it with a sanitiser before trying it. This concept is relatively new here and most sales girls who sell make-up may not be aware of this. But insist on sanitising testers. In fact, if you walk into a reputed make-up store, the sales person will sanitise the make-up products for you or use clean make-up brushes.
