Dry cleaning
7 things you can do to Green Your Dry cleaning
Sure, there’s nothing like the pressed perfection of dry-cleaned shirts and suits. But the eco-price of maintaining your impeccable ensembles is steep. Fortunately, you can minimize your impact by choosing to dry clean green or eschewing it altogether.
Reduce the amount of clothes you dry clean
Add
This feature is only available to GreenYour members. Please sign-up.Email
Wear your clothes more than once before you take them to the cleaners: you'll save money, make clothes last longer, and help the environment.
Use "wet" dry cleaning
Add
This feature is only available to GreenYour members. Please sign-up.Email
This nontoxic option is non-toxic and produces zero emissions, utilizing water as the solvent with biodegradable detergents.
Use liquid carbon dioxide dry cleaning
Add
This feature is only available to GreenYour members. Please sign-up.Email
This is a nontoxic option available at certain commercial cleaners, making use of liquid carbon dioxide instead of toxic perc.
Use alternative solvent dry cleaning
Add
This feature is only available to GreenYour members. Please sign-up.Email
Multiple non-perchloroethylene commercial solvents are available; just ask which one your cleaner uses and opt for the greenest possible choice.
Use home dry cleaning kits
Add
This feature is only available to GreenYour members. Please sign-up.Email
For only lightly-soiled clothing, this cleaning method cuts down on both cost and exposure to harsh chemicals.
Recycle your plastic bags
Add
This feature is only available to GreenYour members. Please sign-up.Email
That pesky plastic film your dry-cleaned garments are returned in can be easily recycled with other plastic bags.
Store your dry-cleaned clothes in a well-ventilated area
Add
This feature is only available to GreenYour members. Please sign-up.Email
Once home, dry-cleaned clothes emit perc, a toxin and possible carcinogen, for the first four or five days. Cut the effects of this chemical by airing out your dry-cleaned clothes.
Comments
4:07pm
Very often clothes that say "dry clean only" dont have to be -- wool, cashmere, cotton etc can easily be washed by hand with a gentle cleanser in the sink, else in the washing machine on a gentle setting.
2:22pm
Does anybody know of a "green" dry cleaner in NYC that they've been to and trust?
Share Your Comments