![]() Often, finding what emerges under layers of dusty neglect is half the fun! Finally, clean with a basic cleaner appropriate to the item.Just leave your treasures in the car for a few days, being sure to park in the sun during that time. In the summer, you can use the heat generated by the sun on your car to get a bit more peace of mind about the goods you are bringing home.Leave thrifted items on a porch, backyard, in a sunny window, etc- and flip once or twice- to use the sun to clean. UV light from the sun kills many unwanted organisms.Clean other items with heat, sunlight, or cleansers. ![]() This dishwasher basket + lid is my secret weapon to making sure the small toys I pick up at the bins are safe for play. ![]() Toys and washable housewares should go directly to the dishwasher.When you buy linens or clothing, take the textiles directly to your washing machine and wash them thoroughly (sometimes twice, always with a good detergent, and adding a detergent booster as needed).Review the EPA’s guide to recognizing bed bugs & evidence of infestation.(Or, check out this cheaper alternative to my beloved MUD gloves.) Follow my general thrifting tips to keep it fun and safe. Use your hands and eyes to inspect goods for obvious problems first. Here are my tips to reduce potential contamination with “unwanted purchases” like bugs, bacteria, etc: While donation staff members are trained to turn away donations of dirty or obviously broken goods, some make it through and when they do they often end up in the bins. Items purchased at the outlet often aren’t clean. Dirt, Bacteria, and Viruses: How to safeguard your hard-fought bargains Jumping into the chaos of a fresh bin can be overwhelming- but can yield rewards like this $300 Sezane bucket-style handbag I purchased at the bins for $1.19. In the case of the downtown Seattle outlet, typically no new product is placed out on the floor after 2 PM, so morning or very early afternoon is the best time to go. Amazon now has a much cheaper alternative to my beloved MUD gloves that work great for buffering wet, sticky, and sharp things in the bins.)Īvoid going after 2 PM. Although there’s less competition later in the day, bins are refreshed less often later in the day as staff focus on finishing up their workday in the back. Latex or cotton gloves can provide a thin layer of protection, but my go-to gloves are MUD brand gardening gloves which are waterproof, washable, and thin enough to keep most of my sense of touch (update: 2022. Prices for books (usually 25¢ paperbacks/50¢ hardback), rugs (in Seattle outlets 99¢ for doormats and $9.99 for large 8×10+ rugs), and blankets (Often $1.99 each, although often priced differently, in my experience, according to cashier’s discretion) are posted on the wall.Ĭustomers lined up waiting for a new bin to roll out, while I contemplate the fate of this seal.īRING GLOVES: It’s not unusual to come across something sticky in the toy bins, a sharp edge in the housewares, or soiled linens in the textiles. If the item does not have a price sticker on it, check the signs on the walls. Things NOT sold by the pound: rugs, some blankets, furniture, and books. In Seattle, toys and housewares run about 60¢ per lb, while clothes and accessories run about $1.15/lb. Checkout stands have small scales to weight products are checkout or, if you’ve only shopped from one category, your entire cart can be weighed on larger scales.Ĭategory names and the price (per pound) are posted high on the wall around the shopping floor. Most items sold from a bin are sold by weight. On this day: an Anthropologie purse, a valuable vintage roaster (sold for $70 on eBay), a Pendleton blanket carrier (sold for $20 on eBay), and a pair of leather Chelsea boots (sold for $40 on eBay), all purchased for around $10 total, were my reward for an hour of scrounging through the bins. Often the trouble is worth it for the treasures.
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