Ask TreeHugger: Green Alternatives to Traditional Dry Cleaning
by Helen Suh MacIntosh, Cambridge, MA, USA on 02.15.07
Question: I have a number of cashmere sweaters that I love. But I know dry cleaning isn't environmentally friendly. I was hoping you could recommend a way of cleaning them that would be a little less damaging to the environment.
Response: It is true that traditional dry cleaning methods are not “environmentally friendly”. This is because most dry cleaners use the chemical perchloroethylene (also called perc, tetrachloroethylene, C2Cl4 and Cl2C=CCl2) to clean your clothes. Research studies have shown that perchloroethylene exposures may be dangerous to your health, having been linked to increased risks of bladder, esophageal, and cervical cancer, eye, nose, throat and skin irritation, and reduced fertility, among other effects. These findings have been shown for people working at dry cleaners, who are routinely exposed to high amounts of perchloroethylene, either through inhalation or through skin contact.
People who work in dry cleaners are not the only ones exposed to perchloroethylene. Low levels of perchloroethylene can also be present in your indoor air, as any perchloroethylene that was not removed in the dry cleaning process will be on your clothes that you bring home. Once at home, the perchloroethylene will leave your clothes and go into the air. Also, since dry cleaners are fairly common in communities, relatively low levels of perchloroethylene can also be found outdoors from "fugitive emissions" or leaks that are not controlled. Perchloroethylene can also be found in your private and public drinking wells. Importantly, these air and water levels are substantially lower than federal standards; however, it is not known whether these low level exposures are dangerous to health.
The actual and potential dangers of perchloroethylene exposures have focused considerable attention on ways to reduce their risks. Risk reduction methods have followed two distinct but compatible strategies. The first strategy is to reduce perchloroethylene emissions from dry cleaners through improvements to equipment, maintenance, work procedures, and ventilation. While effective and important in the short run, this emission reduction strategy does not provide a permanent fix, as it still relies on the use of perchloroethylene, a known health threat. For this reason, the second strategy -- to phase in alternative, non-polluting cleaning methods -- makes an attractive permanent solution to the dry cleaning problem.
There are three commonly discussed alternatives to dry cleaning by perchloroethylene, including liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) (Hangers Cleaners), silicone-solvent based (GreenEarth Cleaning), and wet (or soap and water) cleaning methods. Although not completely characterized, each of these alternative methods would be a cleaner (pardon the pun) substitute for perchloroethylene. The CO2 and wet cleaning methods are thought to be the most environmentally and public health friendly. While the silicone-method is also thought to be environmentally friendly, there are mixed reports about its health risks.
An equally important question, though, is how they clean. Consumer Reports compared the cleaning ability of these methods with each other and with the http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/home-garden/cooking-cleaning/drycleaning-alternatives-203/index.htm">traditional perchloroethylene method. Their results showed that the CO2 cleaning method performed best, with silicone-solvent based cleaning a close second. The performances of both wet-cleaning and perchloroethylene cleaning were weak in comparison, especially for a lambswool jacket -- which does not bode well for your cashmere sweaters.
Despite the strong performance of the CO2 and silicone methods, they are not available everywhere just now. Their use is currently limited by the costs of installing or switching to these methods, which are highest for the CO2 followed by the silicone-solvent based methods. These high costs are particularly burdensome for the typical small business dry cleaner. If you are lucky, however, you will have a conveniently located “green” cleaner near you. To check, the location of cleaners using the CO2 method, however, can be found at the Hangers Cleaners website (www.hangersdrycleaners.com), while cleaners offering silicone-solvent cleaning are on the web site www.greenearthcleaning.com.
Previous Ask Treehugger columns can be found here.
Helen Suh MacIntosh is a professor in environmental health at Harvard University and studies how pollution behaves in the environment and how it affects people's health. Please keep in mind that her answers are just her interpretation of available information and should not be taken as the only viewpoint or solution to a problem. Use this column at your own risk. Having said this, please feel free to post any of your environmental health questions to AskTreeHugger [[@]] TreeHugger [[.]] com. (Please use a descriptive email subject line and mention if you want to remain anonymous).
By all means if you have something structured like a suit take it to the dry cleaners, but I have been washing all my cashmere sweaters by hand for some number of years now and they are none the worse for wear. Try it!
Does anyone have a solution for wool coats? I have to wear one to work in winter, but, beyond the environmental impact, it seems that drycleaning would cost $15CDN each time. Since I bought it at Value Village, that's as much as I paid for the coat!
Valets have long been cleaning the tailored wool clothing of those who can afford to do as they choose, by brushing it (spotting with a little H2O). Wet or dry cleaning is restricted to absolute neseccity as it wears on the clothing. Most cottons can be washed with S&W and fine knits by hand!
I am always amazed at the destuctive health effects of these needless chemicals both on the enviormnment , the people who have their clothes cleaned and the employees whose job it is to do the cleaning and suffer job / career related health residual effects.
Interestingly I have a friend who retired from the drycleaning trade after suffering lukemia cancer and had his spleen removed.
This fellow ran a family dry cleaning business with a great amount of pride in his work and trade.
Since retiring he says he has purchased items taht are readily cleanable in simple laundering and has not had to dry clean one item.
Still he says that the dry cleaning business is a very lucrative trade but has major health impact on poor employees and those who work in the dry cleaning ( solvent) trade.
I agree with Jessica Gregory. Handwashing is perfectly fine for me. But in general, it's such a good perspective to look for ways to bring eco-friendly habits into the most mundane things. In that spirit, I gave "thinking green" a thumbs up on www.thumbwarz.com
I was hoping for something that could be done for jackets like vinyl or synthetic type jackets.
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hello. i have designed and sold cashmere sweaters. i always recommend hand washing in lukewarm water with a little bit of baby shampoo (certainly there are some good organic options out there). after you let it soak a few minutes, remove it from the water and roll it flat into a towel to dry it---then let it remain flat on the towel to completely dry--flipping if neccessary. chemicals at dry cleaners or in woolite, etc are too strong and will damage the cashmere goat hairs.
Agree, hand washing in sl and sel free shampoo is best for all unstructured woolens. For a softer, static-free result, add a half capful of hair conditioner (the ones cluttering your cupboard that you bought and don't like). Would you send sheep or goats to the dry cleaner...even Hangers?
If anyone lives in Denver or Boulder, check out Revolution Cleaners. They use liquid CO2 to clean fabrics (finally a positive spin on CO2), which is safe (In fact, it was recently named as the only acceptable cleaning method, along with water, in a new California law designed to discourage the use of hazardous dry cleaning.)
I use them for my drycleaning, and they do a GREAT job!
Check out their website at:
www.revolutioncleaners.com
What about the do it yourself drycleaner "Dryelle?" -something like that...
Most of the reccomendations on here are totally irresponsible.I am a third generation Drycleaner.My grandfather lived to 94.MY dad is still at alive at 79 and I am a health 39! I also have employees that worked for many years for us that lived long lives.We have always used PERC! Perc is the most aggresive cleaning method available.As long as the perc user has responisble management I see no problem using perc.I think you Tree huggers are ruining this country with your enviromental lies and propaganda.Keep up the good work.
Actually,
You can find a directory of CO2 Cleaners at www.FindCO2.com, (Not Hanger's anymore as there web site has been shut down)
Additionally, If you live in the NY area then you can use GREEN APPLE CLEANERS, as we only clean in CO2 and Wet Cleaning. (We can be contacted at 1888-458-8262) or ar www.GreenAppleCleaners.com.
Best Regards,
David
If you live in California, the Urban & Environmental Policy Institute's Pollution Prevention Center has a list (and a map) of Wet Cleaners and C02 Cleaners.
Here's the link:
http://departments.oxy.edu/uepi/ppc/cleaner_near_you.htm
And a direct link to the map:
http://departments.oxy.edu/uepi/ppc/map.html
Additonally, the California Air Resources Board recently voted to phase out PERC. Read about it in the LA Times: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-drycleaner26jan26,1,4708404.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
I found a nice alternative to the dry cleaner at the store. I used it to freshen some sweaters that I pulled out of my closet and it worked great. I cannot remember exactly how much it was (I think approx. $10) and I only used 1 of the 6 packets to clean 4 sweaters. Try using Dry Cleaners Secret.
When using scented sheets like dryel, where does the dirt go? You are simply masking odor with a scented sheet. Nothing is getting clean. The dirt left on your clothes does more damage. The average homeowner has more toxic chemicals under their sink than a good environmentally practicing dry cleaner generates in a year.
I am qualified educated person. I have no any job. I want to open a DRY CLEANER. and start for an earning source for my FAMILY. but i have no any knowledge about it, can u help me to do the business. and run my family well.
this is for your kind attention and good reply.
waiting for ur reply
Mostaque
genial94350@yahoo.co.in
I wanted to know if anyone remembers or if this is still available. Years ago they used to have a eco friendly dry cleaner bag it was green with a earth logo. You would take it to your dry cleaner and they would put your stuff in it instead of plastic bags. It was a bag that was a duffel then when you were done it would hold all your dry cleaning instead of the plastic. Does anyone remember are these still available. You would have to use certain dry cleaners and there was not one in my area. Please advise. If they don't have these anymore wouldn't this be a good thing!!