This Xmas I bought a coat from EBay for 19’year old DD. She loved the original coat but lost it on a school trip. When I asked what she wanted for Xmas, she jokingly asked if she was too old to ask Santa for a gift. Since the coat is no longer in production, I had to look on eBay.

Once the coat came, I washed it about 5x in detergent and Lysol sanitizing liquid. I then left it out in the sun as much as I can in November when the weather was nice.

It worked great. The coat still had a slight fragrance from the previous owner but it is a nice hint of floral scent. DD loved her gift and has been wearing it everyday since Xmas.

I’ve been buying second hand clothes, housewares, and furniture since I was in high school. I’m 48. I’ve accidentally purchased damaged items a few times when I didn’t inspect closely enough, and I’ve certainly purchased items I don’t end up wearing, especially post-covid since fitting rooms at thrift stores are rare now. We recently overpaid for an item on FB marketplace, but that was totally on us for getting it anyway when we saw the quality was not as expected. But those are the only issues I’ve had - no bugs or mites. My kids bring lice home from school every year but I’m not at all worried about getting them from the thrift store. I’m more concerned about bed bugs from a hotel.

That said, we don’t buy second hand upholstered furniture or mattresses. Just wood. Honestly the quality is so much better with some of the older stuff than what you can buy new. Same with some of the clothes. They don’t make ‘em like they used to!

I do wash everything when I get it home, but I wash mew clothes before wearing as well.

In my many years of thrifting in actual brick and mortars, I had one episode of clothes mites that ruined some clothes. Now, if I buy from an actual thrift store, I freeze my items in the freezer for 4 days, before washing, because washing them does not kill clothes mites. Freezing them does.

I order on Poshmark and Etsy (and eBay, back in the day, but not any more) and have confidence that the sellers take good care of their clothes, and just wash them as they arrive. Have never had any problems with those.

Yes, I buy from thrift shops. I also get things from Buy Nothing.

I wash everything. I’m still here to talk about it. No bed bugs or lice.

I don’t buy a lot since I am working from home now but T-shirts, jeans, tops, etc.

I get lucky once in a while and get some designer finds. It’s fun.

Anonymous wrote:My teen DDs love thrifting. They know they must wash any thrifted items before wearing. I have even dry cleaned some items too. I wouldn’t buy shoes secondhand but that is me. When they were younger they were always happy to get hand me downs from their older cousins and I guess thrifting is sort of an extension of that.

+1.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope. Totally skeeved out by even BEING in thrift stores. I will shop from the clearance section of Old Navy, but not buy from thrift stores.

SAME!

And I can't get past the smell, even with a mask on. I feel like those places are violating health codes

Anonymous wrote:Nope. Totally skeeved out by even BEING in thrift stores. I will shop from the clearance section of Old Navy, but not buy from thrift stores.

SAME!

Anonymous wrote:Nope. Totally skeeved out by even BEING in thrift stores. I will shop from the clearance section of Old Navy, but not buy from thrift stores.

Excellent, more for me!

Anonymous wrote:I do, all the time. In fact, probably 80% of my clothing and accessories are bought second hand.

I wash whatever is washable (machine or hand) and dry clean whatever needs to be dry cleaned. When I bring things home, I immediately run my steamer over them. Purses, shoes and boots might go into the freezer for a while.

+1

Yes, I buy lots of Anthro clothes on EBay. They often come smelling strongly of laundry detergent. I always run them through the wash before wearing. I don’t buy any items that require dry cleaning.

Anonymous wrote:The fact you call clothing pieces tells me you might not be ready for thrifting.
I get most of teen DDs clothes from the thrift store and some of my stuff, maybe 25% of mine. Definitely seasonal stuff like snow pants, rain coats, etc. We have nice thrift stores in the dmv.

Yes! Lemon Lane Consignment is super cute for infants to elementary school sized kids! Also 529 and Blossom and Buds!

I shop at consignment stores often. I always wash clothes before I wear them. Even the clothes I buy at the high end boutiques as well!

The fact you call clothing pieces tells me you might not be ready for thrifting.
I get most of teen DDs clothes from the thrift store and some of my stuff, maybe 25% of mine. Definitely seasonal stuff like snow pants, rain coats, etc. We have nice thrift stores in the dmv.

I'd like to buy from thrift stores but am worried about bed bugs. Maybe that's irrational?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I resell thrifted clothes and wash almost everything when I bring it home. After washing, I photograph, take measurements, then seal each item in a polybag and then store in a sealed bin.

Exception to washing are clothes that are NWT, and things like shoes. Shoes get a wipe down, NWT get a spray with a vodka solution.

No way you turn a decent profit.

It’s just a hobby, but believe what you want. I was asked to post my numbers in another thread.