Dry Cleaning - Use of mixture of Organic solvents - to soak-n-wet garments in solvent bath, gently drain out as much solvent by taking thru spinning process using perforated bowl, followed by steaming of garments to evaporate all solvent and lastly pressing under steam heated calandria rollers and hand pressed.

A (very) local dry cleaning shop was closed down in early '80's though it gave much needed employment when the workers there started being diagnosed with various cancers. The locals came out against it's operation. All workers there died young.

Hello everyone. After reading this article, I am not convinced of the benefits of this type of washing of textiles. I have always wondered, when it comes to reducing the amounts of water when washing in the classical way, we could use steam instead in our washing machines, together with 'cleaning-bacteria' who will eat the 'dirty bacteria', instead of detergents.

another pressing development, with steam.

I won't buy anything with "Dry-clean Only" on the label. If I can't throw it in the washing machine, I can't be bothered. As for "Hand Wash Only", the only thing I hand wash is my hands.

Dry cleaners use harsh chemicals, solvents, and detergents to clean clothing. In fact, the chemicals used today are not the same chemicals used when dry cleaning was first invented. Today, the worst chemicals used are percholorethylene, tetrachloroethylene, and tetrachloroethene (known collectively as PERC), but there are other solvents used as well.

Dry cleaning dangers to health

Most people read the word chemical and immediately know that they want no part of the process. Others believe that particular chemicals wouldn't be used if they weren't safe. Unfortunately, PERC is not safe--it's not safe for consumers having their clothing cleaned, and it's not safe for workers either.

In 1996, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health conducted a study to determine the hazards of PERC to dry cleaning workers. They determined that long-term exposure to PERC increased risk of cancers and other diseases. But what about consumers who simply want their clothing dry cleaned? Environment, Health and Safety Online reports that repeated exposure to high levels of PERC (and possibly even lower levels) can cause adverse effects. Many people note when they take their dry cleaning out of the bag, they smell a sweet, sharp scent: that's PERC, and that smell means they have been exposed.

Dry cleaning dangers to the environment

It might seem obvious that if a chemical is bad for a person, it's bad for the environment. However, the EPA states that PERC is "is not likely to cause environmental harm" because it evaporates quickly from air, water, and soil. But many people know that this declaration isn't necessarily reassuring--DDT was once regarded as safe, even with scientists speaking up about the hazards of the chemical early on.

That said, the dangers of PERC in the air are well-known. It can contribute to smog, but it's most dangerous in indoor air, where people, house plants, and pets can be exposed. However, others contest that PERC is a danger in any quantity, no matter where it's found.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/030790_dry_cleaning_health.html#ixzz3ZDcT5VI2