Dry cleaning

Dry cleaning is any cleaning process for clothing and textiles using a solvent other than water. The term is a misnomer, as most dry cleaning is done with chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents, one of the most popular of which is perchloroethylene, commonly referred to as "Perc".

A dry cleaning machine is somewhat similar to a domestic washing machine, with the exception that it's significantly larger, and that all the dry-cleaning solvent is captured, filtered, and re-used during the cleaning cycle rather than flowing down the drain.

History

Early dry cleaners used solvents such as gasoline and kerosene. After World War II, carbon tetrachloride and