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Washing at Home | Drying at Home | Washers | Dryers
Laundry Care Products | Dry Cleaning | Ironing | Laundromat
Dry Cleaning
There are certain things that are not meant to be laundered at home or in a commercial Laundromat, and dry cleaning is the answer.
Over the years dry cleaning procedures have evolved greatly. Although today's techniques are safer and less toxic, with more cleaning options being introduced every few years, the less dry cleaning done the better for personal and planetary health.
Perchloroethylene
The term dry cleaning is a bit on a misnomer, but the process is considered dry because very little water in involved. The primary solvent used in the process is the liquid chemical perchloroethylene, commonly known as "perc" or PCE, and also called tetrachloroethylene. This is a colorless, volatile liquid that has no flashpoint to speak of, so it is basically nonflammable, making perc a major improvement over the dry cleaning fluid carbon tetrachloride, which was used before the late 1930's.
Perc has an acute, sweet odor and evaporates quickly. It works effectively on grease, fats, and oil, and it is often included in spot removers, adhesives, printer's ink, shoe polish, and solvents used to degrease metals.
It is considered "probably carcinogenic", is listed as a hazardous air pollutant under the Clean Air Act, and is regulated under the Safe Drinking Act.
How it Works
Dry Cleaning takes place in commercial establishments staffed by trained workers. Articles are pre spotted by hand, and then placed into machines resembling home washing machines. The machine's contents are agitated with cleaning solvents, mostly perc, and then dried in the same machine, or manually removed to another one. The last step is to press and shape clothes.
In recent years, the dry cleaning industry has become very careful about handling its solvents partly because prolonged breathing of perc vapors can cause liver and kidney damage. Modern facilities reduce exposure to solvents with workroom enclosures, vapor barriers, and the regular inspection, cleaning, and maintenance of updated equipment. Used solvent is filtered, then purified through distillation which removes detergent, dyes, and dirt, readying the solvent for reuse. According to the EPA "A chemical industry survey reports that in the past ten years, drycleaners have reduced their use of perc by more that 60%. Most of this was accomplished through the replacement of old perc equipment with machines designed to reduce perc vapors going into the air, and better waste management."
How it Accesses and Affects our Bodies
The primary ways perc enters the body are inhalation because it evaporates, and food or drink contamination because it doesn't dissolve well in water. Skin absorption is less likely. Symptoms to exposure range from irritation to eyes, throat, nose, to lightheadedness, headache, nausea, and confusion.
The health of the person exposed, and length and frequency of exposure, also factor into the effects of perc. Once in the body, perc accumulates in fatty tissue and breast milk, and is slowly released into the blood stream.
How it Affects the Environment
Environmental health is affected by the chemical breakdown of perc within the weeks after its release into the atmosphere. Once released, perc will react with other air born volatile organic carbon substances, and can contribute to the formation of photochemical smog. By itself, perc doesn't deplete the ozone layer, but it can break down into other chemicals that are suspected to affect the layer.
Liquid perc waste product is considered by the EPA to be hazardous, and is known to be toxic to plants. It does not bind well to soil, so it is more apt to affect groundwater, surface water, and potential drinking water. Small amounts have proved toxic to aquatic animals who store perc in their fatty tissue.
Green Martha's Guidelines for Responsible Use of Dry Cleaning
- If there is another practical way to clean something, try that first.
- Ask the cleaner if they offer the process called "wet cleaning" which uses water as the solvent with few additives.
- Ask the cleaner about updated equipment, and how solvent waste and safety issues are dealt with.
- Point out spots and stains when dropping off articles. This helps the cleaner determine the best way to address the problems.
- If dry cleaned items smell strongly when retrieving them from the cleaners, ask for them to be re-dried.
- Air out dry cleaned goods once you get home, preferably out of doors.
- Don't carry toddlers if wearing recently dry cleaned clothes.
http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/chemfact/f_perchl.txt
Frequently asked questions about dry cleaning and environmentally benign alternatives: http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/dfe/pubs/garment/ctsa/factsheet/ctsafaq.htm#2
At-Home Dry Cleaning Alternative
Modern technology offers us an at-home alternative to taking lightly soiled items to the dry cleaners. Proctor & Gamble's product Dryel® works in a home dryer to freshen clothes and small items, and it appears to be relatively easy on the environment from a few standpoints.
How it Works
All the components are sold in one package. Just like at the dry cleaner, stains and spots have to be pre treated, and then the items are zipped into the fabric bag with the moist cleaning cloth. This replicates a steamed environment when set into a dryer for 30 minutes. The bag protects items from shrinking, the heat activates the spot treatment, and the steam removes odors.
Environmental Benefits
Although the ingredients are not listed on the container, Procter & Gamble's web site states that the cleaning agents are biodegradable, the dryer bag is reusable, and the packaging is made from 100% recycled paperboard, and 100% recycled plastic. Although the product is intended for 6 uses, refills, using 49% less packaging, containing pre spot and moist cleaning cloth are available, and the dryer bag is good for 20 uses.
Unfortunately, this product is too new to the market for test results to be available, but if it prevents frequent trips to the dry cleaners, and lives up to its environmental claims, it is a smartly designed, environmentally benign product, that can be useful to folks who care for "dry clean only" items.
Frequently asked questions about Dryel fabric care system for the home dryer: http://www.dryel.com/usa/questions_and_answers/questions_and_answers.shtml
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