Why you never want to let someone sit on your bed in their outside clothes

If your wife or girlfriend asks you not to sit on the bed, don't get offended. She might have a really good reason, especially if you are wearing your outside clothes. After all, your outside clothes have likely been exposed to many public surfaces.

This is an even more scary thought after the pandemic. Why would you want those outside clothes touching your bed, a sacred place you go to at night? But does the thought of being grossed out by outside clothes on one's bed have merit? Let's take a look.

It turns out bacteria can indeed build up on clothes, even in fact when they are new. In one study, brand new clothing was purchased from a variety of low-end to high-end retailers.

The clothes were then tested for germs by Dr. Philip Tierno, director of microbiology and immunology at New York University.

The results? Not what you'd think they'd be. Tierno told ABC News, "On this black and tan blouse we found representation of respiratory secretions, skin flora, and some fecal flora."

There was evidence of feces, skin flora, and respiratory secretions, particularly in the armpit and "close to the buttocks" on a jacket.

The worst offender was a silk blouse which contained vaginal and yeast organisms. Of course, most of the clothes were fine, but some clothes definitely had high amounts of contamination.

According to Tierno, bacteria can survive weeks to months on clothing. To prevent this from occurring, he recommends washing new clothes before wearing.

Denisa E. Ferastraoaru, M.D., assistant professor of medicine in allergy and immunology and attending physician at Einstein/Montefiore and Jacobi Medical Centers, notes that while passing contagious illnesses is unlikely through clothes, it is possible for common allergens to spread.

Needless to say, it's best to refrain from mixing outside clothes with your bed. Instead, opt to switch to inside clothes once you get home to keep those germs and bacteria at bay.