Wet Cleaning — The Science Behind Safer Clean | Orellana Cleaners
The science behind safer clean.
Commercial dry cleaning has used chemical solvents since the late 1800s. By the mid-1900s, perchloroethylene — "perc" — became the industry standard, and it still is for most cleaners today. The U.S. EPA classifies perc as a likely human carcinogen, and the agency regulates it as a hazardous air pollutant under the Clean Air Act.
Professional wet cleaning emerged in the 1990s as a solvent-free alternative. Computer-controlled washers and dryers handle delicate fabrics by adjusting water levels, motion, temperature, and drying tension on a per-load basis. The EPA's Design for the Environment program has recognized wet cleaning as a safer option for cleaners and customers alike.
That "fresh dry-cleaned smell"? It's solvent residue off-gassing in your closet. With wet cleaning, there's nothing to off-gas — your clothes come back clean, soft, and odorless.
How garment care has changed.
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1820s
Modern dry cleaning is born when Jean-Baptiste Jolly, a Parisian dye-works owner, discovers turpentine-based solvent cleans fabric without water. Early solvents were highly flammable.
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1930s–50s
Chlorinated solvents replace petroleum-based ones. Perchloroethylene becomes the dominant dry cleaning solvent for its cleaning power and lower fire risk.
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1990
U.S. Clean Air Act amendments list perc as a hazardous air pollutant. EPA begins regulating dry cleaner emissions under the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP).
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1990s
Professional wet cleaning is developed as a solvent-free alternative. Specialized machines and detergents make it possible to safely clean wools, silks, and structured garments using water alone.
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2006
EPA's revised NESHAP rule phases out perc machines from buildings with residences above them by December 21, 2020 — pushing the industry toward safer alternatives.
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2012
EPA's updated IRIS assessment classifies perchloroethylene as "likely to be carcinogenic to humans" by all routes of exposure.
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Today
California has phased out perc dry cleaning entirely. Across the country, more cleaners are moving to professional wet cleaning. Orellana Cleaners is proud to be one of them — and proud to be doing it right here in Sanford.