Eco Dry-Cleaning Dilemma

The smell of dry cleaning fluid makes me a bit light headed.  I try to avoid buying clothes with a “dry clean only” label because once dry cleaned using the typical solvents they never smell fresh again (not to mention the expense of the cleaning!).

I was spoiled in my previous neighborhood near Linden Hills there was an excellent green cleaner that was not only smell free, they could also get out any spot from any fabric.   It was a little more expensive but worth it.

Saturday I dropped off some clothes at my current neighborhood cleane that is under new ownership.   I was hoping that the new owner would switch to a less toxic dry cleaning process that doesn’t use perchloro-ethylene (perc), a toxic, highly regulated, and stinky chemical.   But my hopes of smell and chemical free clothing were dashed with the perplexed look on the clerks face when I asked her about any planned perc-free possibilities (say that 3 times fast). 

MN Tap (Minnesota Technical Assistance Program) tracks less toxic dry cleaners on their site at http://www.mntap.umn.edu/DRYCL/22-AltDryCl.htm .  The non-perc or less toxic options include: wet cleaning, a liquid silicone compound or hydrocarbon cleaning which is petroleum based but safer than perc and odorless.   The website provides a helpful grid with the cleaner’s name, contact info, location and type of cleaning that they use.   While all of the cleaning methods listed have their environmental drawbacks none are as dangerous as perc. 

One of the cleaners listed on the website is a pickup and delivery service but they don’t yet service where I live.  I will keep hoping for a green service to come downtown or to NorthEast.  In the meantime, I will remove the plastic from my cleaning when I get it home letting it off-gas in the garage or basement for a day or two before putting it into my bedroom closet.  It helps a little with the smell and makes me feel like I am not breathing in left over chemicals as I sleep.

If you occasionally or regularly have clothes that need to be professionally cleaned, give one of the green cleaners a try.

Do I find a green dry cleaner miles away from my home burning carbon and creating emissions by driving or do I stick with my same toxic cleaner that I can walk to?