Does the dry cleaning process actually clean clothes? Is it safe?
When we clean our clothes through wet cleaning, we don’t usually doubt that our clothes are clean because we are accustomed to believe that wet washing is the best. But when it comes to dry cleaning, most people wonder whether dry clean clothes are really clean or not.
As opposed to wet cleaning, dry cleaning uses a chemical solvent instead of water for cleaning clothes and textiles. Dry cleaning is not only safe but also good for fabrics that are fragile, sensitive, and can be ruined with wet cleaning.
When you look around in your home, you will find many things that are safe to be cleaned only through dry cleaning. The list of such products includes but is not limited to carpets, curtains, blankets, leather clothing, wool fabric, silk fabrics, linen, rayon, and denim. All these things cannot endure the rough handling of the regular wet wash for long. Some things can’t even endure one wet wash.
So, how does dry cleaning work?
A dry cleaning procedure typically uses certain solvents, such as perchloroethylene or perc inside a drum-type container. This container looks similar to the interior of a washing machine.
You must know that not every piece of clothing or upholstery fabric undergoes a dry washing process. It entirely depends on what kind of cloth the product has and what kind of treatment it needs. For instance, a water-washable shirt won’t go under the dry cleaning process. If your dry cleaning laundry includes fabrics that are made of sensitive material that can degrade with water use, they will certainly be dry washed.
What is the difference between dry cleaning and wet cleaning?
There is undeniably a big difference between a wet wash and a dry wash. Dry cleaning, of course, works and can clean your sensitive clothing. However, it does not include any water. It cleans your clothing only through chemical solvents.
During dry washing, the solvent gets evaporated and the detergent cleans the clothing. Since no water is used, there might be a significant difference in the results of dry cleaning and wet cleaning. Dry cleaned clothes are free of any residual perc and also don’t have any smells, stains, and grease. As a result, your dry cleaned clothes come fresh and crisp.
On the other hand, during wet cleaning, after a dress is washed, it is immediately iron pressed while damp. Hence, the process is also known as “wash and press”. It is no different from wet washing at home and hand/iron pressed. So, the clothes are just as good.
Hence, when you have clothes that are more delicate, laced, heavily embroidered, sequined, or have other embellishments such as feathers, fringes, and beads should be given for dry cleaning only. Handling them using water wash can lead to their ruin.
Do you also need to dry clean your delicate or designer clothes? If yes, don’t hesitate to hire a dry cleaning pickup service and get stress-free about getting them ruined.
Remember that reputable dry cleaners can also be expected to maintain high standards and also follow local and national regulations and also abide by environmental safety rules. So, make sure your dry cleaner also does it.