How does drycleaning work?
Despite its name, drycleaning is not totally dry. It involves the use of liquid chemicals called solvents that remove most stains from a variety of fabrics. Most drycleaners use perc as their primary solvent. Because the clothes are cleaned in a liquid solution that is mostly perc or some other solvent, with very little water if any, the term “drycleaning” is used to describe the process. There are some differences in the way drycleaners process clothes, but here is how it typically works: • Drycleaners usually treat spots by hand before placing garments in large machines. • Liquid solvents, detergents, and sometimes a small amount of water, are added to the machines. The machines then agitate clothes in a manner similar to your own washing machine to remove dirt, oil, and stains. • Once clean, the clothes are either dried in the same machine or transferred manually to a separate dryer, then pressed and shaped. • Used solvent is distilled so it can be purified. Distillation separates t
