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.
RESOURCES ABC NEWS AND SELF.COM