Dry cleaning uses solvents to remove stains from delicate fabrics without water. The most common solvent is perchlorethylene, stored in a dry cleaning machine’s collection tank. Extraction and tumble drying follow to remove any remaining solvent. However, the process can have negative environmental consequences, so some countries regulate its use.
Dry cleaning solvent is a chemical used to remove fabric stains during the dry cleaning process. Dry cleaning is a method of cleaning clothing, bedding and other fabrics, which does not require the items to be soaked in water and treated with liquid detergent. Some fabrics, such as rayon, wool, and silk, are too delicate or tend to lose their shape and texture when exposed to liquids. These fabrics often come with warning labels advising that items should be professionally dry cleaned using a solvent only and not hand or machine washed in water.
The most widely used form of dry cleaner solvent tends to be perchlorethylene, also more commonly referred to by dry cleaners as “perc”. It is a non-flammable chemical solvent capable of dissolving the molecules that form stains, allowing them to be removed from the fabric. Prior to the development of perc in the 1930s, other dye solvents were used effectively; however, these solvents tended to be flammable and could be highly dangerous.
Dry cleaning solvent is usually stored in a collection tank of a dry cleaning machine. The object to be cleaned is placed in a moving cylinder to hold it in place, and solvent is pumped throughout the cylinder to remove dirt from the fabric. Once the solvent has penetrated the fabric to clean it, the dry cleaning machine runs an extraction cycle, which is intended to remove any remaining solvent and return the item to the holding tank. During the extraction cycle, the cylinder containing the garments rotates more rapidly to ensure that no solvent residue is left on the fabric. The final stage in the dry cleaning process is usually tumble drying, where the cleaned items are moved to a drying area of the machine where warm air is circulated to gently vaporize any remaining solvent in the fabric fibers.
Due to the chemical ingredients in the dry cleaner, it can have potentially negative consequences for the environment. If large amounts of solvent are emitted into the air from a dry cleaning machine, the fumes can cause air pollution. Some government agencies, such as in the UK and the US, have regulations in place on how to safely handle cleaning solvent. Dry cleaner shop owners may be required to have a permit authorizing them to handle solvents, and their dry cleaning machines may be inspected to ensure they are not releasing excessive amounts of solvent into the air.
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