Do you have to clean clothes before donating?

Do you have to clean clothes before donating?

No fabric items like bedding, towels, or clothes should be donated unless they have been cleaned. Dry clean or wash everything and treat any stains before donating. For sheets and towels that are permanently stained or badly worn, wash and give to animal shelters who can always use them.

What happens to clothes donated in charity bags?

Torn clothes are recycled and used again as things like insulation materials, and soiled garments end up in landfill or incinerated. Most donated clothes are exported overseas.

Are charity shop clothes clean?

People sometimes ask me whether clothes donated to charity shops are washed before they go on sale. I can’t speak for every charity shop but, in general, I would say the answer is no. As a complete aside, the steamers used in charity shops are amazing.

What happens to your clothes when you donate them?

Clothes donated to a thrift store in the US might end up at another thrift store in Central America or in an open-air market in West Africa. Or they could get “upcycled” back into clothes, or (more often) “downcycled” into things like wiping rags for auto industries.

What clothes should you not donate?

Not acceptable for clothing donation: No undergarments. No, if’s, and’s, or but’s about it. Undies are items that need to be bought new, no matter how cute your old ones are. Does your old favorite shirt have a hole in it?

Are clothing donation bins legit?

But choose whom you give you clothes to carefully; for-profit companies are now setting up clothing drop boxes and then reselling your duds to consignment stores or textile recyclers. …

What shouldn’t you donate to a thrift store?

Also, don’t donate any dangerous items, like weapons or fireworks, or hazardous chemicals, such as paints, fuels or lead-acid batteries. This one is a little more complicated. Thrift stores may accept damaged items, but it depends on the store and the item in question.

What do you do with your donated clothes?

The non-profit currently has a partnership with GreenDrop, an organization that will take donated clothes and re-sell them to thrift stores to benefit the American Red Cross. Accepted donations: GreenDrop accepts all gently used clothes that are in decent and usable condition.

Is it safe to donate toxic chemicals to thrift stores?

A thrift store might not be a safe home for paint, pesticides, drain cleaner, and other household chemicals. For one thing, the staff can’t confirm that the items are labeled correctly. Plus, donation centers often aren’t set up to hold toxic chemicals safely, so there are often “too many hazards and not much need,” says Raines.

What do thrift stores do with damaged clothes and shoes?

The rest have to be recycled or dealt with in some other way. Some thrift stores resell damaged clothing and shoes by the pound to textile retailers. Stores may also sell bric-a-brac items to third-party buyers, who may in turn sell them or recycle them.