What Is Dry Cleaning? Here's When It's Actually Necessary, According To The Experts

The term dry cleaning is a bit of a misnomer. When you hand over a garment to a cleaner and specify dry cleaning, the process will involve some moisture from a chemical solvent that contains no or very little water. Here’s a look at what happens behind the counter at your favorite dry cleaner and some tips from dry cleaning experts you can use to make sure you get the best results from the cleaner.

How Dry Cleaning Works

According to Zach and Jerry Pozniak, owners of Jeeves New York, a luxury dry-cleaning company, and authors of The Laundry Book, the dry-cleaning process for most fabrics is similar to how you do laundry at home. But the clothes are tumbled in a machine with cleaning solvents instead of water and detergent. 

Clothes are tagged so they are returned to the rightful owner. The clothes are sorted and any stains on the garments are pretreated before they are added to the dry cleaning machines. After tumbling through the solvents to remove soil, the fabric is rinsed with another solution, put through a high-speed spin to extract excess solution, and dried to evaporate any remaining solution in the clothes. 

The clothes are then steamed or pressed to remove wrinkles, and inspected for missing buttons or needed repairs. They are then hung or folded and placed in a protective plastic bag for transport home.

Benefits of Dry Cleaning

• More gentle on delicate fabrics like silk, lace, velvet, brocade, and embellished garments than machine washing.
• Protects the inner fabrics and shape of structured garments like coats, blazers, and ties.
• Helps prevent fading of colors.
• The final dry heat process sanitizes fabrics to remove odor-causing bacteria.
• Highly effective in removing oil-based stains.

Common Fabrics and Garments That Require Dry Cleaning

You will often see a recommendation of “dry clean only” on a cotton dress and wonder why since cotton can be machine-washed. Clothing manufacturers recommend the safest, most effective way to maintain the integrity of the garment. While cotton can be machine washed, dry cleaning the garment will help prevent fading, reduce shrinking, and protect any materials that help give the dress its shape.

A dry cleaning recommendation is most often found on:

• Silk
• Suede and leather
• Wool and cashmere garments, especially structured jackets and coats
• Velvet
• Embellished garments (sequins, embroidery, and beads)
• Acetate, rayon, and taffeta

Is Dry Cleaning Safe For All Fabrics?

Clothes made from plastic fibers—PVC or polyurethane—and some synthetic fabrics should not be treated with dry cleaning solvents. Every dry cleaner offers both solvent-cleaning and regular laundry services for washable fabrics. Rely on the expertise of the cleaner to determine the best cleaning process for your garments. 

Can Dry Cleaning Remove All Types of Stains?

No. Some stains just won’t budge no matter what you or a professional dry cleaner uses. Stain removal depends on the type of stain, the type of fabric, and how long the stain has been on the garment. 

How Often Should You Dry Clean?

Dry cleaning frequency depends on whether the garment is worn close to the body or as an outer garment. Most clothes can be worn a few times before they need to be professionally cleaned unless they have visible stains.

Dry Cleaning Tips and Best Practices

1. Ask the dry cleaners about their professional certifications and association membership. You’ll get better results from a cleaner who attends ongoing training and adheres to ethical standards.
2. Other than blotting up liquids or lifting stain solids from the fabric, don’t try to treat stains on dry-clean-only fabrics. You may do more harm than good. Take the clothes to the dry cleaner as soon as possible for the most stain-removal success.
3. Point out the stains and tell the cleaner what caused them.
4. If you are concerned about delicate trim or fabrics, ask questions. Removing decorative items like buttons before cleaning will prevent a disaster. 
5. Remove the thin plastic bag from freshly cleaned items as soon as you get home. The plastic does not breathe and will trap moisture that can lead to mildew or insect damage.
6. If possible, let freshly cleaned garments air outside the closet or dresser drawer for 24 hours to let moisture and solvent gases escape before storing.