Pollution Prevention Center

Click here to find environmentally friendly cleaners in your neighborhood

Consumer Corner

For more than forty years, the vast majority of dry cleaners in the United States have relied on perchloroethylene (PCE) as the solvent used to clean clothes during the dry cleaning process.  However, in recent years concerns about the health and environmental effects of PCE has prompted the search for alternative cleaning processes, such as professional wet cleaning and CO2 cleaning.

What is professional wet cleaning?

Professional wet cleaning is a non-toxic, energy efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional dry cleaning.  This process uses computer controlled washers and dryers, specially formulated biodegradable detergents, and state of the art finishing equipment to safely clean a full range of garments that have the "dry clean" label.  Recent studies on this technology show that wet cleaning is comparable to dry cleaning in quality, price, and turnaround time.

What is CO2 cleaning?

CO2 dry cleaning is a sub-critical carbon dioxide based cleaning process that has been developed for use by commercial and retail dry-cleaners. CO2 is a non-flammable, non-toxic, colorless, tasteless, odorless naturally-occurring gas that, when subjected to pressure, becomes a liquid solvent. The CO2 used in the garment cleaning process is an industrial by-product from existing operations, such as production of ethanol by fermentation and anhydrous ammonia (fertilizer) production. Since it does not produce any new CO2 and, it does not contribute to global warming.  

Looking for an environmental cleaner in your area?

Check out our list of wet cleaners and CO2 cleaners located throughout California.  The quality of services can vary from one cleaner to the next.  Therefore, make sure to ask the following questions the first time you visit a new cleaner.

Experience is important.  How long have they been in business?  Ask the cleaner how long they have been using the new cleaning system.  If this is not a dedicated shop, are they comfortable processing the "dry-clean only" garments you are taking to them?

Deciding between mixed or dedicated shops.  In general, dedicated shops have more experience processing the full range of garments, where mixed shops might not have the necessary training or equipment to clean "dry clean only" items. 

What can you do?

Support shops that offer professional wet cleaning services in your area; see our list of wet cleaners and CO2 cleaners in California.

Talk to your local dry cleaner about your interest in environmentally friendly cleaning.  Let them know that you would prefer if they used a safe, non-toxic alternative to perc dry cleaning.  Refer them to our web site (departments.oxy.edu/uepi/ppc/index.htm) for more information.

If there are no wet cleaners or CO2 cleaners in your area, and you must use a professional cleaning service, refuse to accept your clothes if they have a strong chemical smell, which indicates that they were overdosed with perc.  Air your clothes out to dissipate the solvent.

Would you like to learn more about of pollution prevention technologies in the dry cleaning industry?

Op-eds by Peter Sinsheimer and Robert Gottlieb on wet cleaning technology and the ban of perc appear in the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Sacramento Bee and Newsday.

See what other environmental and community groups are saying about this issue.