How dry cleaning works

All of us have taken our clothes to a laundry and have always heard about “dry cleaning”, but how many of us have actually asked ourselves exactly what it is. Right? If we were to explain it to a child, we might go as far as saying that it is a “waterless” way of washing clothes and just stop there.

So in this post we decided to review how dry cleaning works, and especially why, for certain fabrics, this method is not only advisable, but absolutely mandatory.

In dry cleaning, instead of using water, special chemical solvents are used to remove any soiling from fabrics without ruining them. It is a cleaning method especially suitable for elegant garments, jackets, coats, and outerwear, as well as for delicate wool or silk fabrics that, if washed with water and detergent, would risk damage or shrinkage.

Dry cleaning: the steps

1. Inspection and pre-treatment: the garments should be carefully examined for obvious defects or stains that require pre-treatment with specific products
2. Solvent wash: after the pre-treatment, the garments are placed in a large washing machine, specifically designed to use solvents such as perchloroethylene, which is the most widely used. Fortunately, today, thanks to technological advances, increasingly sustainable and less aggressive products are being used.
3. Wash cycle: the solvent cleans the garments, gently removing dirt and stains without affecting the fibers of the fabric.
4. Drying: once the wash cycle is finished, the garments are thoroughly dried with hot air, while allowing any residual solvent evaporates completely.
5. Ironing and finishing: the dry garments are ironed and checked one last time before being returned.

Now that we know how dry cleaning works, let’s take a look at some of the advantages that make it such an efficient and valuable method:

• Preserves delicate fabrics: no water is used in dry cleaning, thus dramatically reducing the risk of garment shrinkage or alteration.
• It is effective against difficult spots or stains: solvents, while being delicate and sustainable, are undoubtedly much more effective than water for removing stains like grease, oil, and the like.
• Prolongs the life of clothing: washing carried out with professional care, and with state-of-the-art technologies and products, keeps garments in optimal condition for a much longer period of time.
• Reduces drying times: this is also an inherent benefit of the washing mode itself that is worth noting: without water, ça va sans dire, garments dry much faster!

Before taking a garment to be dry cleaned we need to remember some important precautions:

• Carefully read the directions on the label to be sure that the garment is suitable for dry cleaning and that there will be no unpleasant surprises.
• Do not attempt to remove difficult stains by yourself, because those who lack experience risk permanently ruining the garment; better to let only dry cleaning professionals deal with these stains!

Those who would like to find out more about how dry cleaning works also on the level of an authentically sustainable technology can, of course, find a lot of useful information on the specific page of the Tonello website. Ours is, in fact, a company that is constantly researching and developing new technologies and innovative processes for fabric treatment and garment washing.

The EGO system, for example, represents a significant step forward in the eco-sustainable evolution of washing, because it minimizes the use of chemical substances and exponentially increases the efficiency of washing cycles. Tonello also offers a complete range of technically advanced washing machines, that are ideal for all needs, from those of an industrial laundry that handles considerable quantities of garments, to those of small-scale cleaners who deal with a limited number of particularly delicate garments.

Having clarified how dry cleaning works and how it contributes to keeping our most precious garments in top condition, we emphasize how reliable, safe, and thanks to constant technical advances, how increasingly friendly to the environment and … to all of us, it really is.

Happy cleaning, then … dry cleaning, of course! 😉