stupitest/grossest thing you've ever seen at the thrift.

[elvisgurly]

Yeah I forgot...always get the bugs too. Once I bought a vintage glass (worth a lot of $$$) and had to spend an hour letting it soak to get a PETRIFIED cockroach out of the bottom of it...the things you do for $$$ lol

Ick!

[elvisgurly]

My mom has a hard time finding jeans that she likes and finally found a pair that she really thought fit well.  Well to make a long story short, she realized they had these nasty bloodstains in the crotch.  

Any type of crotch stain would be a dealbreaker for me, I avoid just regular stains, your Mom must have a really hard time finding jeans!  

That reminds me of the time my daughter was at the SA with a guy friend and they were looking for swim trunks for him. They found a cute pair but discovered some evidence of the former owners use inside (won't gross you out w/the detail).  Needless to say they were not purchased.  

The food bank thrift has a washer & dryer and are very conscientious about the clothing they put out.  Wish all thrifts were this way!

She does!  We've looked at Salvation Army a few times, GoodWill occasionally, and a local thrift store and she's only ever found a few pair of pants that actually fit her well.

She also has a hard time finding shorts that fit her right.

Stains can be aggravating.  I used to buy my niece a lot of clothing at the thrift store and a few times I thought I found the perfect outfit only to realize they had a million stains on it.  I also have been lucky at times and found her a lot of rarely worn clothes too.  I guess you win some and lose some.

[elvisgurly]

I've found most of the stupid/grossest things are caused by the customers. Feces/urine on the floor (not in the bathroom), items broken beyond recognition and just left instead of letting a worker know, pulling all the hands off of the clocks....I could go on and on. We are all volunteers at the thrift store I manage and it sounds lovely to wash all the clothing and household items but there is not enough volunteers or time. We try not to put out stained, ripped or clothing with piling but something is missed occasionally. Most of our clothing, shoes and purses are $1 or less and I always hear people complaining about prices or could I take less. Do people not realize that there are bills to pay?

I guess I'm venting. I do appreciate all of your posts -- interesting to read about how the other stores are operated!

I can't believe all of the stories that involve the customers using anywhere else but the restroom as their own personal bathroom.  Makes you wonder what their own house looks like?  I guess there are accidents, but it seems like this thing happens a lot.

If I see a really damaged item, I always try and take it up to the associate.  I saw this damaged toy at GoodWill the other week that was missing a crucial piece and had wiring that was sticking out.  I took it up to the associate and politely told them that this didn't look sellable.

Some people are just cheap.  Stuff like that would make me want to say if you think our prices are bad then go to GoodWill:P.

[tsmanager]

If this is what you've found in the store's sales floor imagine what didn't make it to the sales floor. After 6 years working in thrift stores in 3 different states, I've always thought I'd seen it all until the next grossest thing comes in. The grossest thing I came upon would be the male enhancment device. It took me 10 min to figure out what it was and then I was totally grossed out for the rest of the day. False teeth and hearing aids also gross me out.

[Jay2TheRescue]

I know I've mentioned this before, but several times I have found used athletic supporters at thrift stores.  That is gross.

[Good Buddy]

I know I've mentioned this before, but several times I have found used athletic supporters at thrift stores.  That is gross.

Nice to see you around brother! How's things?

[mccoysnina]

I'm going to have to amend my stupidest thing ever seen in a thrift shop.  Today I was browsing the housewares dept and came upon a sample box of cereal, you know the small box that arrives in your Sunday paper.  All smashed up no less and on the shelf, marked $.25.  WTH?  Why didn't someone just pitch the d@#* thing?  Will anyone buy it?  Hope not.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Jeannie

[Jay2TheRescue]

I know I've mentioned this before, but several times I have found used athletic supporters at thrift stores.  That is gross.

Nice to see you around brother! How's things?

I posted an "I'm back" thread in the welcome forum, and I also sent you and cookie friend requests on Facebook.  Everyone in my family has become Facebook addicts, except for my mother, whom we are in the process of converting.

[elvisgurly]

I'm going to have to amend my stupidest thing ever seen in a thrift shop.  Today I was browsing the housewares dept and came upon a sample box of cereal, you know the small box that arrives in your Sunday paper.  All smashed up no less and on the shelf, marked $.25.  WTH?  Why didn't someone just pitch the d@#* thing?  Will anyone buy it?  Hope not.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Jeannie

LOL!  I guess they took the whole one man's trash is another man's treasure thing too literally:P.

[caroline]

When I was at the thrift shop this weekend, there were two empty (Huggies) baby wipes containers for sale. I also saw used cosmetics. I always thought that thrift stores only sold makeup items that were in unopened packaging. I was wrong.

Years ago at a Salvation Army, I saw a dirty hamster cage. The cage bottom was still covered in dried urine and dirty shavings.

[valleythriftshopper]

I see used cosmestics sometimes too, I am sure it is against the law to sell them.  There are probably alot of things that end up in thrifts that are unlawful to sell.

[N1]

Dirty childrens toys.

[Truly Rare]

I don't know if this is going to top anything or not, but just my luck huh..haha.

I was a GW, in Pigeon Forge which a lot might know because its a place a lot like to visit for vacation, either way....I was browsing the KIDS toy section and found a cup, that was from like a circus it was neat so i picked it up and realized it had something in it...it was urine. I Took it to the front desk..boy were they suprized and grossed out lol. And the worst part it was in teh KIDS section, many kids don't know not to touch things like that nor would anyone think that the kid might have drank it..which kids do...and since a lot of ppl don't watch their children..you can only imagine..the possible out of come of that.


Then, I don't know if Ross's counts, but I was out trying on cloths cause I buy a lot of cloths from there cheaper than stores and was in my I don't care who see's me cloths..cause it was my day off and I just didn't care lol...It was winter and I had a pull on that day as my "coat"...I went to put my pullover back on after trying on some shirts and realized the sleeve was wet..someone had pee'd in the seat of the dressing room and I hadn't noticed.

The worst part about it..I had to leave the store with NO "coat"..and I had no other coats with me...I also did not get a discount or anything for the clothing I did purchase. The employees were just like "oh were sorry"...like I would have done that to my own clothing to get a discount..I mean seriously. Yea..I have boycotted that particular Ross's now. LOL....super gross...

[Thriftygrl]

I don't know if this is going to top anything or not, but just my luck huh..haha.

I was a GW, in Pigeon Forge which a lot might know because its a place a lot like to visit for vacation, either way....I was browsing the KIDS toy section and found a cup, that was from like a circus it was neat so i picked it up and realized it had something in it...it was urine. I Took it to the front desk..boy were they suprized and grossed out lol. And the worst part it was in teh KIDS section, many kids don't know not to touch things like that nor would anyone think that the kid might have drank it..which kids do...and since a lot of ppl don't watch their children..you can only imagine..the possible out of come of that.


Then, I don't know if Ross's counts, but I was out trying on cloths cause I buy a lot of cloths from there cheaper than stores and was in my I don't care who see's me cloths..cause it was my day off and I just didn't care lol...It was winter and I had a pull on that day as my "coat"...I went to put my pullover back on after trying on some shirts and realized the sleeve was wet..someone had pee'd in the seat of the dressing room and I hadn't noticed.

The worst part about it..I had to leave the store with NO "coat"..and I had no other coats with me...I also did not get a discount or anything for the clothing I did purchase. The employees were just like "oh were sorry"...like I would have done that to my own clothing to get a discount..I mean seriously. Yea..I have boycotted that particular Ross's now. LOL....super gross...

Ewwwwww!!!!!!!!!!

[latenightcoffee]

Grossest on a consistent basis has to be the used potties for adults. Seriously....an original copy of the Declaration of Independence could be leaning against it...and I still wouldn't touch it. But that's me...and my fear of poop.

Rebecca
www.latenightmarket.com
www.latenightcoffee.wordpress.com