Can't tolerate new clothing, need advice!

[Womble]

I have bought many kinds of jeans and underwear recently, but they are all making me sick.

I am chemically sensitive, but even the underwear and jeans that are 100% organic cotton are still making me sick.

I assume it must be some other chemical used in manufacturing? Possibly the dye?

I tried washing them many times, but it doesn't help that much.

Any idea what I can do? I'm starting to run out of clothes slowly!

Thanks for the help.

 

[whodathunkit]

Can you try maybe putting the new clothes in a pile of dirty clothes before you wash them? Let them marinate in your old funk, as it were. Then maybe some of the newness will be absorbed by the old clothes and the oldness imparted to the new.

Other than that I can't think of a thing to suggest. But a pile of dirty clothes can overcome almost everything else in their vicinity, so maybe worth a shot.

 

[justy]

ive heard of people washing their clothes in vinegar...I know they spray all new clothes now so they don't crease in transit. Evil.

 

[IreneF]

Can you hang your clothes in the sun for a few days? Also, is your detergent free of perfumes and optical whiteners? (Unless you have very soft water, soap will leave a residue on your clothes.)

 

[boohealth]

Try a high end thrift shop? Have to be sure they didn't spray pesticides, use mothballs, etcetera.

 

[Jennifer J]

Hi, @Womble. The others above suggestions I know have helped other people with our sensitivity. I've also heard soaking them in vinegar over night. I've mainly have only had new socks and a couple of other new things, other clothes have been used. The only thing that has worked for me for both used (due to detergent, dryer sheets and perfumes) and new is to wash them generally 6 - 12 times, if I'm lucky less. Sometimes due to my energy this could take a year or two before I can wear them. That's fine. It's how it is. It's good to have something at some point that I can wear than to not have them. I hope you find something that works for you so you can wear your new clothes sooner. Keep us posted. Good luck.

 

[justy]

I actually find second hand clothes worse, because of the other peoples usually strong washing powder and fabric conditioner. Luckily I do OK with new clothes once they have been washed in ecover 0% powder. But if that failed I would hang them out for a few weeks.

last year I washed my clothes in an aparthotel shared washing machine, using my safe powder. I hadn't thought about the smell already being in the machine, and then couldn't wear them for the whole 6 weeks I was there - I had them hanging outside on the balcony - but the smell was still there.

 

[Womble]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I don't think its a "smell" that is bothering me, I believe there are some toxic chemicals
in these clothes that are making me sick, because I cough and get ill.

Maybe the manufacturing of the clothes involves dyes or other chemicals?

I tried washing a pair of jeans 3 times, but it is still very toxic.

So does anyone find that washing 6-12 times is effective?

The problem with that is the washing machine starts to absorb the
chemicals and then everything else I wash becomes filled with that
same toxin.

Do you think soaking in vinegar will eliminate these chemicals?

Will hanging outside de-tox them?

Oh, I just read something about bamboo underwear, do you think
that will work for me?

I guess those are the best ideas, I am considering it seriously, thanks!

 

[SickOfSickness]

Oh, I just read something about bamboo underwear, do you think
that will work for me?

Most bamboo clothing is made with a chemical process.
http://www.patagonia.com/pdf/en_US/bamboo_rayon.pdf
http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-fashion/whatever-happened-bamboo-clothing.html

Vinegar may work.

You may find that you can tolerate some brands, because they use different processes or dyes.

 

[KitCat]

You might have success looking for clothing that is "unbleached, undyed"

You can also try soaking in baking soda. Or washing it in washing machine a LOT of times.

 

[Sahara]

Thanks for the suggestions.


I tried washing a pair of jeans 3 times, but it is still very toxic.

So does anyone find that washing 6-12 times is effective?

The problem with that is the washing machine starts to absorb the
chemicals and then everything else I wash becomes filled with that
same toxin.

Will hanging outside de-tox them?

hello,

I sometimes wash clothes more than 3 times, and sometimes I have to use a higher temperature to get away the smell. and sometimes it is helpful to let the clothes for more than an hour in water with little washing powder.

Hanging clothes outside helps because particles vanish after some time. new curtains I leave for about one or 2 month (or more) in a sperate room/basement until the smell is gone or I feel good with it!

as to your washing machine: clean it between the wash cycles - manual and through an extra empty wash cycle!

good luck!

 

[Mrs Sowester]

I run my washing machine empty on the hottest possible cycle every so often to remove the detergent (and other gloop) build up every 3 months or so, it makes quite a difference.
A lot of machines recycle water throughout the wash cycle so don't rinse as thoroughly as old fashioned machines did. If you do an extra rinse at the end of your normal wash cycle you'll get better results.
Maybe buy your jeans in a size or 2 too big then wash them on the hottest cycle you dare?

 

[u&iraok]

I am chemically sensitive, but even the underwear and jeans that are 100% organic cotton are still making me sick.

100% organic cotton doesn't necessarily mean that. I ran into this when I was looking for organic cotton sheets. They can be finished with synthetics or the dyes could be synthetic. Look for this symbol which certifies that the fabric is organic from fibers to fabric to finishing :