A retail worker has issued a horrifying warning to shoppers about buying new clothes.

May Ricketts took to TikTok to urge people to wash their new garments before wearing them as she detailed how she got ringworm simply by handling items at a store.

She stated how ‘working in retail is not for the weak’ before asserting that ‘people are really gross.’

‘When you buy new clothes, please wash them, or at least steam them, please,’ she begged in her recent clip.

‘I know the temptation is there. I know [when] you buy something new, you just want to wear it – and I am guilty of doing that sometimes still – but I got ringworm for working in the fitting room of a big clothes retailer.’

Ringworm is an itchy, raised rash caused by a fungal infection, per Mayo Clinic.

It is caused by common mold-like parasites that live on the cells in the outer layer of your skin and can be spread from human to human, object to human, animal to human, and soil to human contact.  

‘It is grim out there because people try on clothes, they bring them back to you and sometimes they reek or sometimes they’re carrying contaminants like ringworm,’ the disgruntled retail worker continued.

May Ricketts took to TikTok to urge people to wash their new garments before wearing them as she detailed how she got ringworm simply by handling items at a store 

She urged people to wash their new clothes before they wear them — despite the intense desire to wear them right away (stock image)

‘All I did was handle the clothes. I didn’t even put them on and I got ringworm from touching them.

‘You see the clothes on a hanger and you think “Oh it’s clean whatever. It’s just come in a box, it’s fine and it’s clean.” Wrong.

‘Chances are everyone and their mother has tried it on and all it takes is one dirty, grotty person with ringworm to have tried it on, and bang, now you’re a victim.’

She went on to say that you might assume people are aware of a ringworm infection and will go to the doctors – but some people don’t. 

In a startling text overlay, the content creator wrote: ‘Don’t be a victim like me.’ 

May’s shocking video has so far amassed 301,500 views and 21,600 likes.

People ran to the comments to share their own stories as both customers and retail workers.

‘I bought a coat second hand and it had bed bugs in it and I only realized about a week later when I was taking the lining out,’ someone wrote.    

Ringworm is an itchy, raised rash caused by a fungal infection, per Mayo Clinic (stock image)

‘All I’ve learned from working in retail is that I should be wearing gloves at all times,’ another said.

‘I used to work in Mothercare and the clothes used to fall on the floor and get clumps of dust on them. I prayed that people washed them before putting on their babies,’ someone admitted.

A user wrote: ‘Working in a fitting room scars you for life. I’ll never forget clothes DRIPPING in sweat and we were just told to spray them with perfume and put them back on the shop floor.’

Someone shared a similar story to May’s saying: ‘OMG SAME! I caught ringworm from a dress I bought from a charity shop, it was peak summer just after lockdown and I was RIDDLED with it.’

One TikTok user pointed out a valid issue with May’s advice.

‘But how are you supposed to know if it fits? If you take the tags off to wash it you can’t get a refund,’ they asked.

May responded: ‘Unfortunately, you are going to have to risk trying it on in situations like this, but if you are wearing it for a prolonged period of time without washing you are more likely to catch something.’