Dry cleaning was invented by accident when a maid spilled kerosene on a tablecloth in 1855. Jean Baptiste Jolly capitalized on the concept, using toxic substances such as gasoline and kerosene to clean clothes. Modern dry cleaning uses perchlorethylene, but “green” dry cleaning methods using solvents made from carbon dioxide are becoming more popular.
Dry cleaning is the happy result of an accidental spill. Jean Baptiste Jolly owned a large-scale dyeing company in the mid-19th century. One night in 1855, her maid accidentally knocked over her kerosene lamp on a stained tablecloth. The next morning, she noticed that the tablecloth was clean, and Jolly quickly decided to capitalize on the concept.
As part of his company, Jolly began offering cleaning services, which he called dry cleaning. This was not because the clothes he cleaned never got wet, but because they never got wet with water. Early cleaners included some pretty toxic substances and could be quite dangerous.
For example, Jolly used gasoline and kerosene to clean clothes. Later, solvents such as trichlorethylene and carbon tetrachloride were used, and they too could have unpleasant side effects. Since the 1950s, the most widely used dry cleaning solvent has been perchlorethylene, also known as perc.
The way modern dry cleaning works is that clothes are marked and pre-treated for visible stains. They are then placed in a large machine, more like a large washing machine. Clothes spin in the machine, which also dispenses up to 200 gallons (757.08 liters) of perc in just eight minutes, the typical cycle time. The next machine cycle drains the perc and spins the clothes.
Most machines also have a heating element, so they are essentially a combined washer and dryer. Once the perc is removed, the clothes are heated by circulating hot air, thus drying them. Once removed from the machine, the garment goes through a post-stain treatment.
In dry cleaning, a good cleaner knows how to check clothes for any remaining stains. These will be treated again with solvent or even water. A service can also perform a minor clothing repair, replace buttons, or sew up small tears. The clothes are then hung on hangers and bagged in plastic, waiting for their owners to remove them.
Concern in recent years about perc not being environmentally friendly has led to new “green” dry cleaning methods. Instead of perc, some green cleaners have switched to solvents made from carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide can only be in liquid form when exposed to pressure, so the machine must be capable of providing a pressurized environment for the carbon dioxide to function properly. One type of machine features a pressure chamber and a pressure door to properly clean clothes.
Green dry cleaning is considered gentler on clothes, and it’s also more eco-friendly. With increased interest in green cleaning, green methods may ultimately replace perc.
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