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November 2024 by Gizmo Sweets
The security guard here is very ignorant. And the staff are very rude Probably won't go here again
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November 2024 by Ferdinand Aguillon
November 2024
Vintage Clothes in Thrift Shops Can Harbor Infectious Diseases
Health12 November 2024
ByPrimrose Freestone, The Conversation
Demand for secondhand and vintage clothing has surged within the last few years. Pre-owned fashion is seen by many consumers as a cheaper, more environmentally friendly way to expand their wardrobe.
But as excited as you might be to wear your next secondhand purchase, it's important you disinfect it properly first. This is because clothing can actually be an important reservoir for many infectious diseases.
The skin is naturally coated in millions of bacteria, fungi and viruses, collectively known as the skin microbiome. This means every item of clothing we wear comes into close contact with these microbes.
Many of the microbes that regularly call the skin microbiome home include the bacteria Staphylococcus (which causes staph infections), Streptococcus (the bacteria behind strep A), fungi such as Candida (the species of yeast that most commonly causes thrush) and viruses such as the Human papillomavirus (which causes HPV).
Each person's skin microbiome is uniquely adapted to them. What's normal and harmless for one person can be disease-causing to another.
Infection risk of used clothes
Clothing is a well-known carrier of many disease-causing pathogens. This means that germs from the original clothes owner's unique skin microbiome could still be found on secondhand clothes if the items weren't cleaned prior to selling. It also means that any infections or pathogens they might have had when they last wore the clothes could still be found there.
Research has found clothing can harbour many infectious pathogens – including germs such as Staphylococcus aureus (which causes skin and blood infections), bacteria such as Salmonella, E coli, norovirus and rotavirus (which can cause fever, vomiting and diarrhoea) and the fungi that can cause athlete's foot and ringworm.
A survey of secondhand clothing specifically, which was being sold in a market in Pakistan, detected the presence of Bacillus subtilus and Staphylococcus aureus in many of the samples taken. These bacteria can cause skin and blood infections. Parasites which can cause skin infections (such as dermatitis and scabies) have also been found on secondhand clothing.
The skin's microbes can live on the amino acids in sweat, as well as the sebaceous oil released from hair follicles and the proteins of skin cells, all of which are deposited into clothes when we wear them.
Not only that, but research shows many pathogenic germs – such as E coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes – can survive on clothes for months when kept at room temperature. Germs on cotton or mixed-fibre clothes stayed alive for up to 90 days.
But on polyester fabrics, these germs lived as long as 200 days. Most bacterial species survived better in the fabrics when the air humidity was high. This suggests that to minimise germ growth, clothes should be stored in a dry environment.
While it's difficult to say how great your risk of actually contracting an illness from secondhand clothes is (as no study has been done to date), people who are immunocompromised are probably at the greatest risk. If you have an impaired immune system, you should take extra care before wearing secondhand purchases.
How to properly wash second-hand clothes
Most microbes need water to grow. Skin areas that tend to get moist – such as the armpits, feet and genital areas – tend to have the highest number and most diverse species of microbes.
Fabric that has come in contact with these regions will be the most contaminated. Alongside bodily fluids, clothes can also become contaminated with traces of food debris. This could also act as a source of growth for any bacteria or fungi present.
This is why washing secondhand clothes is so important for preventin
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November 2024 by Barbara MR
The building is very dirty, the clothes smell bad, it is very disorganized and the prices are expensive.
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November 2024 by Jessica Purcell
Good items, not a scuzzy location
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November 2024 by ronald germon
Staff where friendly but the floor walkers are kinda idiots
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November 2024 by Henry A.
Simply love this thrift store. They have so much good stuff and the prices are very affordable. The staff are very friendly too.
It is a good place to spend a free afternoon and you definitely go home with a bargain. I always do!
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October 2024 by karissa g.
Don’t come here unless you want to be accused of STEALING. Not sure if this was the owner being RACIST, but the owner had the police pull my boyfriend over after he came and left the store wearing his Zara Vest (which I bought him). The owner lied to the police saying he didn’t come in with the vest on. Maybe don’t accuse someone of stealing if you are not clear on what they were wearing when they walked in. I’m absolutely furious.
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October 2024 by Joel Lawrence
The store owner/manager must be an idiot. I didn't buy anything so I left the store, and as I'm driving away I get pulled over by the police. They tell me the owner/manager told them I was stealing because they "saw me enter without a jacket and leave with a jacket on". I explained to them that I did not steal and that they could look at the cameras to verify. I have no reason to steal from Value Village. I have a job that pays decent in software. I don't know if this was race-related or why they even suspected me of stealing but its really shocking to be pulled over by the police, and have them tell you to turn off the car and hand them your keys, with their flashlights in your eyes. Especially when I did nothing remotely wrong. Never coming back here.
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October 2024 by ellene johnston
Used to find great clothing at a fair price, but they’ve decided to charge thrift store prices for substandard clothing -ripped, torn, and even charge higher prices than the stores do when items on sale. I still have a look, but mostly leave without buying.
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October 2024 by Darrell Thompson
This place has really gone down hill when did we see homeless people with money as no good to do business with ..today Oct 12/24..
Was shopping looking around but had to use the washroom well as I was coming out a man who was probably homeless asked if I could hold some shoes he had so being nice I waited he was talking a little longer so I put shoes down no sooner did I do that a supervisor an old man with balding grey hair starts banging on the bathroom door yelling for the man to come out as some folks heard the man was wiping his butt still supervisor was threatening the man the cops are coming and making a noticable scene the man comes out and asks the guy to leave the store I myself was watching and trying to ask why he's being asked to leave ..
Because we don't want these kind in the store all the while the man shows the supervisor a 20 dollar bill and more the supervisor says your money is no good here ....everyone saw and where talking loud bout what happened I was also asked to leave in a very loud voice ...
That supervisor needs to be FIRED and soon ....
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October 2024 by OnTheFence Inc.
Good selection of some almost neêvɓɓɓ
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October 2024 by Williams Andukwa
Great place
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October 2024 by Chelsea Calverley
Big location with lots of selection. It’s an area where security is necessary, and they do a good job.
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October 2024 by M
Only 1 staff member working along with a Security guard both monitoring the 3 self serve tills as full assistant ones were closed.
Toys scattered all over the floor especially stuffed animals making it hard to go through with shopping carts.
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October 2024 by Dan Johnson
Some items were overpriced for a thrift shop
