When dropping off shirts, pants or a large wedding comforter to dry cleaners, clients believe the cleaners will process these items with a “dry” cleaning process. Unfortunately for the mistaken consumer, some dry cleaners work with a neighborhood laundry to wash, dry and hang laundry for less and the dry cleaners keep the profit.

Dry Cleaners Are Often the Middle Man

Many dry cleaners take clothes from consumers and send out those clothes for dry cleaning. The building housing the business is typically made up of a large track system used to hold items after cleaning is complete. If the dry cleaners never touch the clothing to be cleaned, aside from when the consumer drops off the piece or pieces, how can the consumer tell if the dry cleaners are really using proper cleaning techniques for laundering dry clean only items.

Fabrics that must be dry cleaned will shrink during normal wash and dry laundering, so consumers can rest assured dry clean only items are being processed with the proper chemicals. It is the items that do not require dry cleaning that are processed through laundry houses in a given neighborhood. Large comforters and blankets do not fit in home washing machines. Dry cleaning patrons could take them to a local laundry and use commercial washers, but most drop off the large item with a dry cleaner instead.

The dry cleaners then take the large item to the laundry and pay a fraction of the cost to wash, dry and fold the large item. If the dry cleaners charge $50 to wash a king sized, thick quilt the profit will be around $30. The remaining $20 is spent on washing the quilt and drying it for an hour or more in an industrial dryer.

Perc Is a Toxic, Hazardous Chemical

Perc, also known as perchlorethylene, is the most effective chemical solvent used by dry cleaners. The chemical is listed as a toxic substance that is hazardous to human health. Clothing should be removed from plastic sleeves before placing in the car for the ride home. If possible, have the dry cleaners remove the plastic sheeting in the store. Leave windows open in the car. Perc is a known carcinogen, which means breathing in the fumes could cause cancer.