- Pretreatment: The clothes are inspected for stains and areas that need special attention, and any spots or stains are treated with specialized solutions.
- Cleaning: The clothes are placed in a machine known as a dry-cleaning machine, which uses a solvent, typically perchloroethylene, to clean the clothes.
- Rinsing: the clothes are then extracted and rinsed to remove any remaining solvent and dirt.
- Finishing: The clothes are dried and pressed to restore their shape and appearance. They are then folded and packaged ready for pick-up or delivery.
The solvents used in dry cleaning are designed to dissolve grease and oil-based stains, but not water-based stains, so different types of stains may require different cleaning solutions. While the process is called dry cleaning, the clothes are not left completely dry, they will have some moisture in them.
It is important to point out, that the use of perchloroethylene is being phased out by some countries and alternatives are being used, such as silicone based solvents.
What should you dry clean?
There are certain types of clothing and fabrics that should be dry cleaned, rather than washed in water, to maintain their shape, color, and overall appearance.
Here are a few examples of items that are often recommended to be dry cleaned:
- Suits, blazers, and other garments made of wool, cashmere, or other delicate natural fibers
- Dresses and skirts made of silk, satin, or other delicate fabrics
- Clothing with embellishments or beading that could be damaged by water
- Clothing with lining or padding that could become misshapen if washed in water
- Leather and suede garments
- Items with perspiration, body oils, and other tough stains
- Items with heavy odors
It’s always best to read the care label of the clothing before determining how to clean it, as it will indicate whether it should be dry cleaned or not. Also some fabrics like cotton, denim, linen etc. can be laundered with water. But certain items that are made with these fabrics, like a cotton shirt with a silk collar may be dry clean only. It’s always best to check the care label on the clothing to determine the best cleaning method.
Types of clothing to be dry cleaned
- Suits, blazers, and other garments made of wool, cashmere, or other delicate natural fibers. These fabrics are often prone to shrinkage, stretching, or warping if washed in water, so dry cleaning is the best option to maintain their shape and appearance.
- Dresses and skirts made of silk, satin, or other delicate fabrics. These fabrics are also prone to shrinkage, stretching, or warping if washed in water, and dry cleaning helps to maintain their appearance and shine.
- Clothing with embellishments or beading. Clothing with beads, sequins, or other embellishments can be easily damaged if washed in water, so dry cleaning is recommended to maintain the integrity of these details.
- Clothing with lining or padding. Lined and padded garments, such as coats, are more delicate than unlined items and are more likely to become misshapen if washed in water. Dry cleaning maintains their shape and appearance.
- Leather and suede garments. Leather and suede can be easily damaged by water and should be dry cleaned to maintain their texture and appearance.
- Items with perspiration, body oils, and other tough stains. Perspiration, body oils and other tough stains are best removed by dry cleaning rather than washing in water.
- Items with heavy odors. Items that hold in heavy odors like smoke, food or must are best cleaned in dry cleaning rather than washing in water.
Always be sure to check the care label on your clothing which will showcase the desired cleaning technique and method for that particular garment. This label will indicate whether it should be dry cleaned or not with some manufacturers also providing specific instructions on how to care for your garment.
