Why Take Garments To Cleaners

Dry Cleaning Advice from Greener Cleaner:

Which textiles you should or should not take to Professional Cleaner?

Most clothing labels have laundry symbols to indicate the ideal laundering method for the garment in question. In fact, in many parts of the world, these labels are actually regulated by the government, like nutrition facts or lists of active ingredients in food and medication. For this reason, clothing manufacturers often err on the side of caution with these labels, encouraging more fastidious, painstaking, and dry clean onlyexpensive laundering methods than absolutely necessary. This also helps them avoid consumer complaints about damaged products, especially since they aren’t required to provide any justification or explanation for their instructions. However, informed consumers can save time, money, and their clothes by understanding which textiles should or shouldn’t be taken to the cleaners, and under which circumstances.

In general, many garments labeled “Dry Clean Only” can be safely washed by hand if you know what you’re doing. Here is what you absolutely should send to the cleaners:

  1.  -Items with a lining
  2.  -Items with beading, sequins, and other embellishments
  3. -Suits, particularly wool suits
  4. -Items with complicated designs
  5. -Very soiled or stained items
  6. -Skirts, dresses, and pants with pleating
  7. -Delicate synthetics like rayon
  8. -Fabric blends

Typically, cashmere and wool garments can be washed by hand, as well as sturdier synthetic fibers such as polyester and nylon. High-quality leather and silk require specialized cleaning methods that not all cleaning services offer. Otherwise, simply follow the machine-washing instructions on the label and you should be fine!

As a final note, when choosing a cleaner or cleaning product, it is best to opt for green, eco-friendly choices, even when they are more expensive. Not only are these products better for the environment, but they are also less liable to leave harmful residue in your clothing. Perchloroethylene, or perc—the dominant chemical solvent used in dry cleaning—has been shown to have carcinogenic properties, as well as inducing serious short-term symptoms caused by skin contact or inhalation.

At Green Cleaner, we use safer cleaning alternatives recommended by the EPA, for the benefit of both you and your clothes. Read more about our Green Cleaning services here:  https://greenercleaner.net/our-services/