Goodwill Employee Exposes A Secret, And Now I’ll Never Shop There Again

On Reddit, workers are sharing stories about the terrible conditions they face on the job. Some stories from Hobby Lobby and Chick-fil-A employees are pretty bad, but one person shared a disturbing experience working at Goodwill that got people talking.

The post first appeared in August 2020 but has been getting more attention, earning over 81,000 upvotes.

“At Goodwill, we don’t clean anything we sell, and we get some really nasty stuff that touches everything else,” the worker said.

“So, if you buy something from Goodwill, wash it thoroughly.”

Another former employee confirmed, “I used to work at Goodwill, and you’re 200% right.”

A worried shopper replied, “Even before COVID, I felt gross after leaving there. I’d always wash my hands right away.”

But not everyone was shocked by the news.

“Sorry to ruin your day, but last time I was at a thrift store, I found some nice yoga pants… but the crotch was crusty,” said one person.

Someone else shared, “Oh no! You just reminded me! I used to think everything was cleaned before it was sold.

I tried on some pants once, then realized the previous owner didn’t wear underwear. It was disgusting.

Either they wore them for a week straight or needed to see a doctor.”

Another person explained their routine for handling Goodwill buys.

“Whenever I buy something from Goodwill, I wash it first. Warehouses and people can be dirty, so it’s just common sense.”

One shopper even suggested a more extreme approach.

“Wash things twice to be safe. After the first wash, you’ll see why it’s needed.”

Another person said they never wear clothes without washing them first.

“I always wash clothes before wearing them, no matter if they’re from Goodwill or a fancy store.

You never know what or who they’ve been in contact with, so it’s best to clean them.”

Even with this insider’s story, one volunteer at Goodwill shared a different experience.

“My friend volunteered at Goodwill for a year. She said she saw a lot of cleaning happening there, especially thanks to the elderly ladies who helped. Everything was spotless.”

What do you think about this claim against Goodwill? Do you believe they clean the clothes before putting them out for sale?