Dathan Trevino Edinburg-If clothes are found with stains, or if any residue remains on pieces of furniture, these can be signs that your thrift find has not been cleaned properly.
Failure to take proper precautions while shopping for secondhand clothing can lead to the contraction of diseases, such as fungus infections, lice, scabies, bacterial infections and bed bugs.
Lame Vintage owner, Manny Hernandez, said keeping their clothes clean is a top priority.
“You know, whites we Oxiclean them, even if they’re stains, we try to get the stains out as best as possible, but nothing hits the rack without it being cleaned,” said Hernandez.
Customers can prevent getting sick by thoroughly washing, ironing, or disinfecting any item purchased before use. Whether it is clothes, dishes, or any mundane item, they can still be contagious after a prolonged stay on the shelf.
Infection Prevention Director Nancy Campos explained how furniture can be a bit trickier to clean.
“If you buy a furniture, a piece of furniture, just leave it outside your home, clean it very well, and then leave it outside for a few days. if you can put a plastic around leave it under the sun,” said Campos. “Bed bugs die with the, with the heat.”
Experts have warned to avoid purchasing hats, baby accessories, underwear, and swimwear.
