Dry cleaning is a process typically used on clothes and fabrics that cannot withstand the rigors of a standard home washer and dryer. But how does dry cleaning work and what does it really do to your clothing? Read on to learn more about the process and follow a garment's journey from start to finish.
How to Find the Best Dry Cleaner Near You
What Is Dry Cleaning?
Dry cleaning launders and cleans clothes and fabrics using a chemical solvent containing little or no water. Dry cleaning still uses liquid in its solvents, it just does not use water that you use in your traditional at-home wash cycles. A dry cleaning solvent cleans the surface of materials but does not penetrate the fiber as water does in a washing machine. It also prevents stretching and shrinking.
Some clothes can't be washed in water. For example, non-washable wools will shrink or lose their shape in water. Water temperature and agitation can damage or fade delicate fibers or embellished items, or cause colors to bleed.
To protect your garments during the commercial dry-cleaning process, your items will be inspected and pre-treated before going through the actual "washing" process using water-free chemical solvents.
The Commercial Dry Cleaning Process
The commercial dry cleaning process is safer than it has ever been. Dry cleaning isn't better or worse than washing your clothing, but it depends on the garment's fabric and if it needs a dry cleaning to preserve its look and shape. It begins in your local dry cleaning storefront when you drop off your dirty clothes. Today, most dry cleaners do not have very large and expensive cleaning equipment on-site; many will transport your laundry to a central cleaning facility. This is more cost-efficient than having machines at every drop-off location.
Dry Cleaning Solvents
Dry cleaning has been around since Roman times when ammonia was used to clean woolen togas to prevent any shrinking that happens when wool is exposed to hot water. Next, cleaners moved to petroleum-based solvents like gasoline and kerosene which proved to be highly flammable and dangerous to use.
By the 1930s cleaners began using perchloroethylene, commonly called "perc." Perc has a distinctive chemical odor and is classified as carcinogenic to humans. In the 1990s the United States Environmental Protection Agency began to regulate dry cleaning chemicals and encourage commercial cleaners to use safer, more environmentally friendly solvents though the switchover has been slow.
There are several steps for each item cleaned during the commercial dry-cleaning process:
Garment Tagging
Every item is tagged with an identification number. Some cleaners use paper tags that are stapled or pinned to the garment. Others use an iron-on strip with a permanently assigned barcode for regular customers. Similar soiled garments from different customers are cleaned together and tagging ensures that your clothes are returned to you.
Garment Inspection
Before clothes are cleaned, they are inspected for items left in pockets, rips, tears, and missing buttons. These items are returned to customers and problems are noted as issues known before cleaning.
Stain Pre-treatment
As part of the inspection process, the cleaner checks for stains on the clothes and treats them before the solvent-cleaning process. If you know what caused a specific stain, it is extremely helpful to let the cleaner know to get the best results in the stain removal process. This is also the time a good cleaner removes or covers delicate buttons and trim to prevent damage.
Machine Dry Cleaning
Soiled clothes are loaded into a large drum machine and cleaned with a water-free chemical solvent. The clothes are gently agitated in the solution which causes soils to loosen. The solvent is then drained, filtered, and recycled and the clothes are "rinsed" in a fresh solvent solution to flush away any last soil that remains.
Post Spotting
The dry cleaning process works very well in removing oil-based stains thanks to the chemical solvent. However, other types of stains are not always removed effectively. Accordingly, all garments are post-spotted to look for remaining stains. The stains are treated with steam, water, or even a vacuum to remove any remaining traces.
Finishing
The final step includes getting the garment ready to wear. This includes steaming or pressing out wrinkles, reattaching buttons, or making repairs. Items are then hung or folded to return to the customer. The plastic bags provided are only there to help you get your clothes home without more stains. It's important to take them off right away or risk damage to your clothes from trapped moisture.
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How to Get the Best Results From Your Dry Cleaner
Always Read the Labels
This one may seem obvious, but plenty of people pay no attention to the labels on their clothing, or even worse, tear them out completely. Your dry cleaner should always reference the labels before cleaning but you should be the first to call attention to any special care instructions or unique fabrics to ensure proper cleaning.
Don’t Try to Remove Your Own Stains
It is tempting to try to remove a stain from clothing ourselves. Avoid this temptation and get the garment right to your dry cleaner instead. You are much more likely to make it worse by pushing the oil, dye, or food deeper into the fabric, making it even more difficult or even impossible to remove.
Be Sure to Point out Any Stains During Drop-Off
Always be sure to point out and identify stains so they can be properly marked and pre-treated during the cleaning.
Point out Any Special Buttons or Embellishments
Some garments have delicate buttons or embellishments that require special care. Since you will probably deal with an associate who may not do the actual cleaning, point them out and ask if they can be protected or removed during cleaning. Ask if the items will be reattached as part of the service.
Make Special Care Requests up Front
Always be sure to highlight any stains, delicate fabrics, or embellishments at the time of drop-off. Do not leave it to chance or simply assume all will be well during the dry cleaning process. Establishing a dialogue with your cleaner will give much better results that you and your clothes will appreciate.
Environmentally-Friendly Dry Cleaning Options
If you want to bypass traditional dry cleaning chemicals, look for a green dry cleaner who can offer you one of the following services, but make sure you feel comfortable with any of these processes:
- Wet cleaning: Water, special detergents, and high-tech washers and dryers remove stains and clean your garments, but it may not be appropriate for all fabrics.
- Liquid carbon dioxide cleaning: Liquid and gas forms of carbon dioxide are used as non-toxic solvents in complex (and costly) cleaning machines that apply pressure to draw the carbon dioxide through fabrics to remove soil. There is no heat involved which also makes the process more gentle to fabrics.
- Silicon-based solvent: This solvent, also known as siloxane, is a chemical-free type of liquified sand that removes stains from fabrics. However, the manufacturing of the product may not be so green because it involves chlorine.
- DF-2000 hydrocarbon solvent: Though this method is touted as organic because the solvent is extracted from the earth, it is a petroleum-based product and may not be as green as you'd prefer.
Tip
Consider using a dry cleaning kit at home. The chemicals in the kit are not as harsh or toxic as traditional solvents used by a commercial cleaner, but they aren't squeaky green, either. These kits can work well on lightly soiled items, but the less potent chemicals won't do as good a job as your neighborhood dry cleaners can.
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FAQ
Does dry cleaning actually sanitize?
Clothing is tumbled in dry heat which can aid in the sanitization of clothing. The temperature of the air can go as high as 150 degrees Fahrenheit in the drying process, which is enough to kill germs.
Does dry cleaning use high heat?
Dry cleaning does not always use high heat so it can preserve delicate items. Much of the time, the actual "washing" process is done at room temperature. Heated solvents or higher temperatures used for pressing may be used at times.
What items should not be dry-cleaned?
Some materials can deteriorate when dry-cleaned, including fabrics made with plastic, PVC, or polyurethane. In addition, wool and cashmere items should be hand-washed instead of taken to the cleaners.
