Community Chat

[Grouchomarx]

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@cherry wrote:

What is the fabric made of. It is sized?

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It is a woven polyester that has a silky matte finish. I have another dress in a similar material from the same store that has no issues. I don’t think it will wash well that’s why I said I’ll dry clean. It is a size small and just fits in the bust so any minor shrinkage will make it unwearable.

[cherry]

@Grouchomarx  tell the dry cleaners to hit that area extra hard. Explain why...some cortisone cream will heal your neck quickly

[ROMARY]

For the past many years, I always wash new items before wearing them.

Also, I've been noticing, now, at my age, sometimes fabric touching my skin 'bothers me'. (Whereas not years before.) 

Same items, same unscented laundry liquid detergents, but just the way, say, the armhole seams touch my skin.

I now prefer nice, very soft cottons and also 'silky' types of fabric.  Nothing 'stiff'', etc.

Anyway, I always suggest trying various unscented liquid laundry detergents for those who are having itching, breakout, rash problems. 

The best of luck to all.

[Annabellethecat66]

Formaldehyde is very often used in material.  I have had a lot of friends who've worked in fabric stores and said they've had terrible headaches and get rashes, etc. from the material.

THAT's why most people know before you wear a garment you should (or are supposed to) wash it BEFORE you wear it.

I used to make many of my clothes when I worked.  I would wash the material before I even cut out the patterns.

Have you ever bough jeans from QVC.  If you have you might have noticed the horrible smell coming from them.  That smell is often very, very difficult to get rid of.  For some reason (I believe) especially in dark fabrics and especially jean material the formaldehyde is deeply absorbed into it.

So many chemicals are mixed into materials today.  There are very few materials that are made from cotton.  Why?  Well cotton is expensive.  So, people have found cheaper ways to supply us with garments.

Also, and maybe even leading this 'drive' is the fact that most people don't even own an iron.  I know none of my family owns an iron (that includes, daughters, sisters, etc).

I love nicely fresh, pressed clothes, but I'm very much in the minority there.

I remember once I spilt a pint of water in my bed.  It was just water.

That smell of formaldehyde that came from the mattress caused me to buy a new mattress.  No matter what I did, I couldn't get rid of that horrible chemical smell.

All of this bla bla comes from someone (me) who has her sheets and pillowcases ironed stiff and drycleaned!

Go here!https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/formaldehyde/

[ROMARY]

'Don't get me started' re: new mattresses (re: years ago.....I'm afraid to buy a new one, but hopefully they aren't sprayed now-a-days. )  Thank goodness my mattress is still doing well.  I turn it every few months or so.

Also, Another topic:  Mothballs (long, long story; not enough time here). 

Some folks have lost their sense of smell, but that's part of my long, long story.

[SilleeMee]

When garments, or other things, are shipped from overseas they may have been sprayed with a decontamination or pesticide spray/powder. I read about this somewhere when I was looking for dyes used in fabrics. I also found that some of the chemicals on fabrics are sometimes used to give the fabric smoothness and make it feel nice to the touch. But sometimes those chemicals can cause skin irritations. If at all possible it's best to launder garments and linens before use.

[50Mickey]

@Grouchomarx  You said the dress has a halter neck that fits quite snug. Just the fabric rubbing on your neck from the snug fitting top will casue a rash on your neck even if there are no chemicals in the fabric.   I have to agree that dry cleaning will just add more chemicals. That doesn't sound like a good idea. 

[Nuttmeg]

Please check the sew in tag or cleaning label. This item might say wash before wearing. 

If not, I would return this dress as is. The store should know it is a problem. You have a skin rash. Please take a pictures of just of the dress, the neckline. and the rash. The store or manufacturer has to dx this problem.

I would not handle the dress without gloves. 

[nycgrl]

Everything that is shipped here is treated with pesticides or other chemicals. I wash everything I buy first. I don't buy anything I can launder and I only use detergent for sensitive skin and add a few drops of essential oils if I want a fragrance. I hope your rash cleared up. I too have become extremely sensitive to things over the years.

[Grouchomarx]

Tonight I washed it in cold water on the gentle cycle. It looks like it came out very nice. Hopefully all the chemicals are out. My rash still going strong but I’m giving it the cortisone lotion and trying not to touch it. Thank you all for your advice. I think you’re right the dry cleaner would just add more toxic chemicals. I never knew clothes could be so dirty brand new. I only ever wash undies before wearing.