How "Organic" Is Organic Dry Cleaning?

Are "organic" dry cleaners popping up in your neighborhood?

Are they legit, or another greenwashing scam? Here's the low-down:

What Makes A Dry Cleaner Green?

It's not PERC.

Just because a dry cleaner claims to be "organic" doesn't mean it's free of toxic chemicals. That's because, scientifically speaking, any chemical is considered to be organic if it contains carbon. So even cleaners that use a solvent like perchloroethylene (PERC), which has been classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a probable human carcinogen, can claim to be organic. An ad for "green" dry cleaners doesn't necessarily mean much, either, since there is no standard definition for what makes cleaning green.

Hydrocarbon solvents are in the same boat. Hydrocarbon solvents are petroleum-based, says Sierra Club, and contribute to greenhouse gases by emitting volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Solvents to avoid are: DF2000, PureDry, EcoSolve, Shell Solution 140 HT and Stoddard.

And that GreenEarth method you may have seen around? It does not necessarily translate into 'green-for-the-earth.' GreenEarth cleaners replace PERC with a silicone-based solvent called methyl siloxane or D5, which is similar to the base ingredients used in deodorants and shaving creams. The solvent itself is currently considered safe for the environment because it degrades to sand, water, and carbon dioxide, says the Union of Concerned Scientists, but it has caused cancer in lab animals in EPA studies. In addition, it is manufactured using chlorine, which can generate harmful dioxin emissions.

The good news?

Safe, non-toxic alternatives do exist. And they are just as effective as traditional dry cleaning, minus the negative impacts on the environment.

• Wet-cleaning replaces PERC with carefully controlled amounts of water and special non-toxic biodegradable detergents. Computer-operated equipment helps ensure that your delicate fabrics are cleaned without the risks to human health or the environment.
• Carbon dioxide (CO2) cleaning relies on high pressure to convert carbon dioxide gas into liquid that acts as a carrier for biodegradable soaps. When the washing is complete, the pressure is released, turning the CO2 back into a gas to be used again and again. One drawback: the requisite machinery is expensive, so this method costs more than PERC-based dry cleaning.

If you want to locate the nearest reliably green cleaner, check out this national directory published by Occidental College. It is slightly out of date, but will give you a start, at least, on locating a more eco-friendly dry cleaner.

The U.S. EPA also offers a nationwide list of CO2 and wet cleaners that was compiled in 2003.

Keep in mind that not all "dry clean only" garments need to be professionally dry-cleaned. Green living expert and Care2.com editor Annie Bond provides safe, eco-friendly instructions on hand-washing silk, wool and rayon clothing here. My daughter regularly washes her wool sweaters on the cold, delicate cycle in the washing machine, then line dries them. Cheap, effective.

The most obvious solution of all? Transition your wardrobe to wash-and-wear clothing that requires no dry cleaning. You'll save money on cleaning bills and breathe easier knowing you're reducing your exposure to questionable chemicals.

BONUS: Discover easy, simple ways to clean out your closet this season, and how your wardrobe transition can make a world of a difference, here.

Comments

[Jerry Pozniak]

CO2 dry cleaning is the future of dry cleaning. The results that we are seeing with our hybrid CO2 process are just amazing. The cleaning is better than traditional dry cleaning and much, much better than hydrocarbon dry cleaning.

Our firm has locations in both NYC and Long Island, NY for those who want to try CO2 dry cleaning.

CO2 dry cleaning is; Simply Green, Simply Clean and Simply Better for You.

http://www.CameoCopeland.com

[Diane MacEachern]

Thanks. I'm looking forward to getting CO2 cleaning in my neighborhood.

[JessTrev]

Thanks so much, Diane! I was able to find a CO2 place that's within range of my house. We haven't dry cleaned anything since we moved last summer finding a truly green drycleaner was (undone) on my to-do list. You rock.

[Maria Rodriguez]

Hi Diane, Love reading your blog! Dry cleaning has always been something that I have avoided as much as possible. For example, I prefer to air wool coats and suits outside to avoid more than one annual cleaning and I do lots of handwashing, including of cashmere. Recently I ran across "Dryel" at the grocery store. It's supposed to work in your home dryer and the label says it's nontoxic. Any thoughts on this method as a substitute? Thanks.

[Heather]

Great information. I recently wrote a post on Earth Promise (http://www.earthpromise.com/blog/2009/12/the-eco-alternative-to-single-use-plastic-garment-bags/) regarding the single use garment bags that dry cleaners use.

[MRochell]

Thanks for this article! Another option that I've been trying to learn more about is steam cleaning clothes, but I haven't found much information about this. Has anyone used this method, and does it work?

[ECC]

I will have to check and see what my local dry cleaner uses, they now say they are green, I do have to say though that I have a 99.9% wash and wear wardrobe, but I do use them for getting things hemmed up..

http://www.ecochiccool.com

[Green Cleaning]

Interesting that dry cleaning is not really dry at all, it just uses chemical solvents instead of water based cleaners. If you want a truly green cleaner you should have a look at Lyft http://www.lyftclean.com

[Sam Moore]

Organic is a word all too often thrown around too casually, or simply
as a marketing ploy. It is very important for the consumer to
understand what this means, and to ask the operator a few further
questions. With no regulation on word "Organic" it can mean natural
petrol based cleaners, Carbon dioxide cleaning, a dry cleaner who uses
biodegradable laundry bags, or the use of Wet Cleaning Methods. Let's
get into what each one of these means.

Gasoline is a petroleum based substance, and therefore would be
considered Organic. Now I am sure your cleaner isn't washing your
clothes in gasoline, but some of these other formulas marketed as
organic are not much better!

C02 cleaning while safer than the use of Petrol based cleaners is
still not the best thing for you or the environment. While it is said
that the C02 is actually recaptured in the end this is still a toxic
agent contributing to the largest amount of Green House gas emissions
each year. This is what your car releases from the tailpipe.

Reusable Garment Bags, are great, and all cleaners should use them,
but obviously this shouldn't constitute "Organic Dry Cleaning".

Wet Cleaning, the most Organic of all choices is made up of using
sophisticated washing equipment along with precise agitation cycles,
as well as reforming and reshaping equipment. This is the only true
Organic Method and recognized by consumer reports as the safest
substitute for conventional (PERC) Dry Cleaning Methods. Not only is
this method safer for the operator, and patron, but also gentler on
clothing too. Typical garments cleaned with these methods last 30-40%
Longer, and obviously come back absent of any chemical smell.

Sam Moore
Green Forest Cleaners
Princeton, NJ 08550
http://www.greenforestcleaners.com

[Dry Cleaning Delivery Service Atlanta]

Part of starting my delivery dry cleaning service in Atlanta was to go to as many dry cleaners as possible and research the cleaning methods they use. It was scary how many simply didn't know or replied 'solvent'. Well of course you use 'solvent' - but what type? Some would come right out and say PERC while others expected the questions to stop when they replied 'I don't know'(usually just part time workers so not surprising). The consumer has to force the change in their local dry cleaners by asking until an answer is provided. If they use PERC, take your business else where.

[dry cleaners in mesa]

It seems like organic dry cleaners are popping up everywhere. So, what makes a dry cleaner organic, and is this process an eco-friendly alternative to traditional methods?

[dry cleaners in mesa]

Thanks so much, ! I was able to find a CO2 place that's within range of my house. We haven't dry cleaned anything since we moved last summer finding a truly green drycleaner was (undone) on my to-do list. You rock.

[George]

At first sight I thought that these "organic dry cleaners" were actually just misusing the word "organic" for marketing purposes.

it's not like the FDA regulates the names for laundromats, right?

Good to know there are still safe alternatives out there, though.

G

[environmental articl]

It seems like organic dry cleaners are popping up everywhere. So, what makes a dry cleaner organic, and is this process an Eco-friendly alternative to traditional methods?

[efrugalliving99]

Frugal Living is living better using less financial resources.EfrugalLiving teaches you how to create a budget, save money, reduceyour debt, earn extra cash and live simply.

[Mini Clean]

This is new to me. Thank you for sharing this article. I look forward for more dry cleaning tips from you.

[Diane MacEachern]

I'm glad it was helpful!