Todd Layne Cleaners is located on the Upper East Side, NYC, New York, NY and serves area codes 10075, 10021, 10022, 10065, 10028 and 10128. In this Blog Post, Todd Layne Cleaners explains a new Green Dry Cleaning process…
The term “Dry Cleaning” has been around for at least the last 100 years. When people think about the phrase “Wet Cleaning,” there is a sense of confusion. How can a process that is “wet” or water-based refer to garments that are dry cleaned? Isn’t the whole point of dry cleaning that it doesn’t use water?
Wet Cleaning has been used since 1991, but it has only recently generated publicity with the public becoming more aware of the dangers of perc (perchloroethylene), the most common chemical used in the dry cleaning process. While traditional dry clean machines immerse garments in a chemical solution like perc, Wet Cleaning uses water and specialized detergents. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Wet Cleaning is the safest professional method of dry cleaning. The EPA states that it does not use hazardous chemicals, doesn’t generate hazardous waste or air pollution and reduces the potential for water and soil contamination.
In addition to the environmental benefits, there are many benefits for the consumer. Since the majority of stains are water-soluble, the wet cleaning process is better at removing these types of stains. White garments are whiter and darker colors remain brighter. There is no chemical smell and garments have a longer lifespan since they are not immersed in harsh chemicals.
To explain the wet cleaning process in further detail, garments are placed in computer-controlled washers and dryers. It is important to note that these are very sophisticated machines and bear little resemblance to the washers and dryers found in a typical household. Natural detergents, fabric softeners, dye-setting agents (to protect color) and fabric-finishing agents (maintain garment body and crispness) are used to effectively clean the garments. Temperature and humidity levels are held at very specific levels to prevent any garment shrinkage. Drying time is kept to a minimum and garments are hand-finished with specialized pressing equipment.