Retailer employees and factory workers have warned shoppers about the 'gross' reason they should always wash their newly purchased clothes before wearing them.

One employee - who had worked in multiple clothing warehouses - sparked a discussion after revealing just how filthy new garments are, even if they appear 'clean to the naked eye' and 'smell nice'.

'You have no idea how dirty new clothes are,' they said in a Reddit thread, claiming the items are often as dirty as public bathrooms and train stations.

'Having worked in the clothing industry inside factories, I have seen it all.'

The worker explained that fabrics are often stored in poor warehouse conditions, including environments infested with cockroaches, mice and dust, and in some cases contaminated with animal faeces.

'People don't realise what goes on before the item reaches them,' they said. 

When the garments hit the racks in retail stores, the worker urged customers to be mindful that multiple people may have already tried on the clothes they go on to buy. 

'Don't forget sweaty people have probably tried on that same item of clothing and you have no idea how their day was or what their hygiene level is,' they said. 

'So please wash your clothes before wearing them. And whenever you try on the clothes you are buying, take a shower after.'

The factory worker said they wanted to share their experiences so shoppers can make more informed decisions when buying clothes. 

'This isn't a strict cult rule. I mean, you have to choose your battles,' they said.

'I understand some situations where someone chooses not to wash something. And it's not going to kill them. It's fine.'

Many fashion retailer workers agreed, with one sharing: 'My biggest reminder to wash new clothes was working in a store and seeing how gross customers could be.

'The worst was a lady who sneezed in her hand and then wiped it on a sweater on the rack. Disgusting.'

Another shared: 'I'm a retail worker, and the things that I have seen clothes go through in stores would make most uninitiated people vomit. And we're at the end of the supply chain. 

'I leave the store with filthy hands and clothes from handling these new clothes, I have to shower and change as soon as I get home.'

While one revealed: 'I worked in a high-end boutique in college and every time we unpacked a new shipment of garments my hands would turn red and peel. 

'Apparently the boxes were treated with pesticides to keep rodents and bugs out of them during shipping. Even if no shoppers have touched your new garment, it needs to be washed before you wear it.'

Meanwhile, many shoppers revealed the nasty things they've seen.  

'I was browsing tops on a rack, touching each one to feel for cotton, and my hand landed on a wet, slimy spot. I just died. I walked so fast straight to the restroom to wash my hands. I knew it was someone's snot. My soul left my body,' one shared.

'I watched a toddler reach out of his stroller, grab a pair of panties, and rub them all over his face, runny nose and open mouth included. His mum took them from him and dropped them back on the table. Wash everything,' another added.

One woman shared the story about their mum's co-worker whose baby son suffered serious burns on his feet after wearing a 'new' pair of socks.

'My mum's co-worker had a horrible experience after not washing socks for her nine-month-old. She usually washed everything but she and her husband were in a hurry and they thought it was just socks, we don't have to worry about washing,' she said.

'They went to a family gathering and their son began crying uncontrollably about an hour into the party. He was never fussy so they couldn't figure out what was wrong.'

When they arrived home, they found the baby had suffered burns to his feet, allegedly caused by a chemical used in the socks' manufacturing process.

'The chemical on the material was supposed to be "washed off" before it was sent to the factory where it was made into the actual socks. This was not done and it burned through his skin,' she said.

'The baby had to have a skin graft at 10 months old and several skin grafts as he got older in order to accommodate his growth and for his feet to grow properly.

'It was horrible for the parents. Imagine not knowing that your child is in agony because he couldn't talk. I now wash everything before I wear it.'