Lullabelle
Midlands, England
We really differ on this topic. No way am I going to start washing new socks or any other new clothes. Stroking a pet (even if hands are washed afterwards) is going to produce much more of a hygiene issue than wearing new clothes. And I've probably said this before, but its surprising how many people will happily let their cat walk across a kitchen surface. Given that if I came into their kitchen, climbed onto their kitchen surface and walked over it in boots that I had been wearing outside or been treading in a cat litter tray, they would be horrified, I find this extraordinary. My sister falls into this category.
Mind you, with all this hand washing obsession due to corona virus in the UK we could all end up as 'germophobes'.
Can't help thinking we already are germophobes, detergents are sold as 'killing x y z' germs, we don't build up an immune to them so they make us sick, I am not including the corona virus because it is a whole different kettle of fish.