For many people, doing laundry isn't one of the most exciting parts of the day. Although some are lucky enough to have a laundry room at home or a washer and dryer in their apartment, folding and putting away clothes after the dryer sings its little tune to let you know it's done is definitely a hassle Duty. tedious However, there are some items that need cleaning that you just can't (or shouldn't) throw in the washing machine, and if you do, you should stop by the dry cleaners.
Many of us are familiar with the concept of dry cleaning, especially when it comes to a silk blouse or a linen tablecloth. But how does dry cleaning work? Because we're curious people, we asked an expert to tell us what dry cleaning is and why some of your favorite clothes need it.
What exactly is dry cleaning?
In short, dry cleaning is the process of washing clothes or household items without using water. This uses liquid solvents and chemicals, but they do not penetrate and penetrate the fibers like water in your home machine does. People resort to dry cleaning to remove stains from clothing or to clean garments that cannot be submerged in water, such as some wool and silk fabrics.
Dry cleaning prevents the fabric from shrinking and does not damage the material like machine washing at home would. Sal Fernandez, vice president of Cameo operations at Copeland Cleaners , adds, "Dry cleaning preserves the colors and texture of your item longer than a regular household wash." The dry cleaning process is fairly simple.
Step one: Review and classify the item
Pressing first determines whether your item is delicate, has a specific color, or has any special details that could be affected by the process (e.g. leather trim or buttons). The dry cleaners will then label your garment with information to make it easier for them to find it when it's finished.
Step two: Inspect and pre-treat stains
The dry cleaner will examine the garment from all sides, whether or not they report a stain. If you forget to mention something, the dry cleaner will try to classify the type of stain and label it in order to treat it according to that classification before starting the dry cleaning. At this point, the cleaner will remove or cover any delicate buttons and/or trim.
Step three: Place the clothes in the dry cleaning machine
Dry cleaners use machines that look and function like a larger version of the washing machines we have at home. The big difference is that these machines do not use water. Instead, they agitate the fibers with a "safe solvent," in Fernandez's case, to remove stains and clean. The solvent remains liquid, but does not penetrate the material like water does; Dry cleaners can use different solvents (more on that in a moment).
Step four: second inspection
To ensure that the annoying stain has been removed, the dry cleaner checks each item of clothing again. If the stain persists, attempts are made to treat it using other methods, such as steam.
Step five: Finish the article
In this case, dry cleaning will add any buttons and/or embellishments that were removed. They are also taking steps to ensure it is ready for its next port. At Cameo by Copeland, Fernandez says, "They finish the garment by hand pressing or spraying, replace broken buttons, and wrap the garment with fine upholstery fabric if necessary to preserve the finish." They then "cover [the garment] with polyplastic and seal it the top and bottom hot to protect the garment until the customer wears it again."
What chemicals are used in dry cleaning?
"Dry cleaning uses different solvents," says Fernández. "The most common was perchlorethylene , which is used much less in industry today. As a high-end cleaning company, Cameo by Copeland uses an environmentally friendly alcohol-based solvent called Sensene." According to the SafeChem website, Sensene is "particularly effective on oils, fats, lanolin, tallow, milk, lipstick and motor oil." It is also approved as a textile additive with GOTS certification , the highest standard for certified organic fibers.
Perchlorethylene, more commonly known as PERC, is carcinogenic and can cause a variety of health problems. Due to its harmfulness , the Federal Environment Agency proposed banning this substance in June 2023 .
Before choosing a dry cleaner, we recommend that you make sure they use other solvents to clean your clothes, such as more environmentally friendly alternatives. Although the Société Générale de Surveillance states that any dry cleaner that does not use PERC participates in green dry cleaning, there are some alternatives to solvents and dry cleaning options that are more environmentally friendly. SGS recommends professional wet cleaning, which "uses water and specialized equipment to gently wash, dry and restore fabrics." They also suggest liquid carbon dioxide (CO2), which is pressurized CO2 converted into a liquid solvent that can be used to clean clothing.
However, using liquid silicone, chemically named D5, seems to be the best environmentally friendly alternative. D5 is harmless, non-toxic, biodegradable and odorless. "[D5] simply breaks down into sand (SiO2), water and carbon dioxide and leaves no toxic residue when released into the atmosphere, making it safe for air, water and soil," says SGS.
Which products should definitely be dry cleaned?
You should dry clean wool and silk as they are two very delicate materials with water. "You don't want to wash your favorite Yves Saint Laurent blouse at home," says Fernández. Other fabrics that can be dry cleaned include leather, cashmere, linen, fur, and sometimes cotton. Many everyday fabrics can easily be washed, but some of them should definitely be treated gently.
The frequency of dry cleaning depends on what you want to clean. "We recommend cleaning everyday shirts once a week," says Fernandez. "More delicate fabrics like silk and cashmere require more attention. It is recommended to clean them after one use to preserve their texture." She also recommends cleaning wool and cotton after two uses.
Professional or formal clothing, such as suits, does not need to be dry cleaned as often. According to men's clothing company Flex Suits, every four to five wears is enough for a business jacket. For a formal jacket, it is recommended to wear it every two to three times; Formal pants require less frequent cleaning after five to seven wears. However, some believe that you should dry clean your jacket and pants at the same time to prevent them from becoming discolored. This way the jacket and pants fit together.
How should you prepare your item for dry cleaning?
"There's actually no preparation necessary on the customer's part," says Fernández. "The only thing we ask if a garment has stains is that you do not treat it with household products or water. When a stain is altered, it is much more difficult to remove. Simply let us know the stain ." If you have any special requests or other damage to report, such as: If there is a defective button, for example, please inform your cleaning department in advance.
Meghan is a contributing editor at House Beautiful , where she writes about interior design, pop culture, and furniture.
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