| When our clothes have elegant designs (like gowns, | | | | other alternative solvents were explored to support |
| formal suits or wedding attires) or when they are | | | | the dry cleaning industry. |
| made with delicate and hard to clean materials and | | | | Some dry cleaners claim that they offer an 'organic |
| fabric (such as suede and leather), we can neither | | | | dry cleaning'. This concept often misleads consumers |
| clean them in a washing machine for doing so may | | | | who often associate the term 'organic' to mean an all |
| ruin the design or fabric. Nor hand wash them since it | | | | natural and safe method to dry clean. In essence, |
| would be laborious. The best option to clean such | | | | organic dry cleaning means using hydrocarbon |
| clothes is through a dry cleaner. | | | | solvents such as Exxon-Mobil's DF-2000 or Chevron |
| Dry cleaning is the process of cleaning clothes or | | | | Phillips' EcoSolv since any chemical with a chain of |
| fabric without the use of soap and water, thus it is | | | | carbon is scientifically classified as 'organic'. However, |
| referred to as 'dry'. Instead of water, a different kind | | | | DF-2000 is classified as a VOC and it is listed by the |
| of liquid is used to remove the dirt and stain off our | | | | EPA as a neurotoxin and skin and eye irritant for |
| clothes. | | | | workers. |
| In the mid-19th century, Jean Baptiste Jolly | | | | Liquid silicone or D5 is an environmentally friendly |
| discovered when his maid spilled kerosene on the | | | | alternative to perc. It is gentler on fabrics and does |
| tablecloth that the fabric became cleaner after the | | | | not cause color loss or change. Its GreenEarth |
| incident. Thus came the birth of dry cleaning, which | | | | Cleaning licensed and affiliation charged with an annual |
| used kerosene and other volatile liquids such as | | | | fee and its high price make D5 more expensive than |
| gasoline and naphtha to clean fabrics and linens. | | | | perc but produces no toxic waste and degrades |
| But due to the flammability of those early | | | | within days. |
| petroleum-based solvents, William Joseph Stoddard | | | | The use of Carbon Dioxide in dry cleaning result to a |
| worked with a colleague from a research institute to | | | | minimal loss of CO2 in the atmosphere, thus global |
| develop the Stoddard solvent, a less volatile solvent | | | | warming effect is also lessened. This dry cleaning |
| use to dry clean clothes. In 1928, dry cleaners | | | | method is also used for fire and water damaged |
| started using it and was predominant in the US from | | | | restoration, due to its effectiveness in removing |
| the late 1920s-1950s. | | | | toxic residues, soot and other associated odors of |
| After World War I, perchloroethylene | | | | fire. However the cost of this machinery is too |
| (tetrachloroethylene) or 'perc' became the solvent | | | | expensive compared to conventional perc cleaners. |
| trend in dry cleaning. It is a chlorinated solvent with | | | | None the less most garment labeled as 'dry clean |
| great cleaning properties and is stable, nonflammable, | | | | only' can be cleaned through Wet Cleaning. It is a |
| and gentle to most garments. But despite 'perc' being | | | | process that uses water and biodegradable soap. |
| an ideal dry cleaning solvent, it is prominently | | | | Computer-controlled dryers and stretching machines |
| hazardous to our health. | | | | are used to retain shape and size of garment. |
| Due to this health threatening issues from using 'perc', | | | | |