What is Dry Cleaning?

  • Riya Yadav
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What is dry cleaning?
What is dry cleaning?

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 In our busy schedule, keeping clean and presentable clothing is a time taking task. However, we all know that not all clothes can be washed with traditional washing with water and detergent as some clothes need special attention and care, this is where dry cleaning comes into play. Dry Cleaning is a specialised cleaning process which is designed to handle delicate fabrics that regular washing cannot effectively clean but before moving on, what is dry cleaning, how does it work, and what are its benefits? is important to know before actually trying dry cleaning is a must. Check out now! 

What is Dry Cleaning?

Dry Cleaning is a method of cleaning that uses chemical solvents instead of water to remove dirt, stains and odors from delicate fabrics. Unlike traditional laundry which uses water, dry cleaning is based on non-water based cleaning solvents which dissolve dirt and refresh your garments without shrinkage or damage.The most common solvent which is used in the process of dry cleaning is perchloroethylene (perc), but now modern eco-friendly alternatives are also available.

Importance of Dry Cleaning in modern life

Dry cleaning plays a significant role in today’s life which offers a convenient and effective solution for maintaining the quality and enhanced life of our precious garments. As we all know that there is a difference between Dry Cleaning and washing. But with the increasingly busy lifestyles and hectic schedules, dry cleaning offers a time saving alternative to line drying which allows us to look and feel our best while preserving the quality of our clothes. Dry Cleaning is also essential for preserving our delicate and special-care fabrics such as woolens, silks, suede, etc which require gentle and effective cleaning methods. By removing tough stains, odors, and allergens, dry cleaning maintains hygiene and cleanliness. Dry cleaning also helps in enhancing the life of your precious clothes as it retains the original texture and shine of your clothes. 

What Fabrics Require Dry Cleaning?

Which Clothes can be dry cleaned at home?
What Fabrics Require Dry Cleaning?

Certain materials benefit significantly from dry cleaning due to their delicate nature, including:

  • Silk: Avoids water stains and fabric warping.
  • Wool & Cashmere: Prevents shrinkage and maintains texture.
  • Linen: It retains crispness and structure.
  • Velvet: Dry cleaning protects the plush texture from damage.
  • Suede & Leather: Preserves natural oils and prevents cracking.

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Dry Clean Process

Now, you must be wondering “how does dry cleaning work?” Well! To know how it works, we will explain the whole dry clean process which involves several steps to ensure clothes come out fresh, clean, and well-maintained: 

1. Segregation Of Clothes 

Segregation is an important step in dry cleaning which involves the separation of clothes into categories based on color, fabric, delicacy, etc. It also includes checking garment labels for any specific care instructions so that you can ensure effective and safe cleaning. 

2. Patch Test

Before stain treatment, Always do a patch test of your solvent in the hidden part of your clothes.

3. Pre-Treatment of Stains

Before actually dry cleaning, treating stains is required. In this process, stains are pre-treated using special solvents and techniques before the main cleaning process begins. This helps in breaking down tough stains that water-based washing cannot remove.

4. Cleaning Cycle

In this step, clothes are placed in a machine where they are immersed in solvent that removes dirt and grease. It gently agitates the clothes to enhance the cleaning while protecting delicate fabrics. 

5. Post-Cleaning Spot Treatment

After the cleaning process, garments are rechecked for any remaining stains. If needed, then additional stain treatment is applied.  

6. Drying

The garment is dried using a combination of heat and air flow. This helps to remove any remaining solvent and prevent moisture from accumulating in the fabric.

7. Pressing and Finishing

Once cleaned, the clothes are pressed, steamed, or ironed to remove wrinkles. Specialized machines shape and restore the garments to their original look.

8. Final Inspection and Packaging

A final quality check ensures garments are spotless and ready to wear. They are then packaged in protective covers before being returned to customers.

 

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How many types of Dry Cleaning are there?

In general, there are two types of dry cleaning.

  1. Hand Dry Cleaning: A manual process where clothes are cleaned by hand using a solvent.
  2. Machine Dry Cleaning: A mechanized process where clothes are cleaned using a machine that uses a solvent.

1. Hand Dry Cleaning Process

  1. Inspection: In this first step, clothes are inspected for stains, tears, and missing buttons.
  2. Pre-treatment: Stains are pre-treated with a solution to help loosen dirt and remove stains.
  3. Spot cleaning: Stains are gently cleaned using a solvent and a cleaning solution.
  4. Hand cleaning: Garment is hand cleaned using a solvent, working from the top down.
  5. Drying: Garment is dried using a specialized drying rack or air blower.
  6. Finishing: Garment is steamed or pressed to restore shape and remove wrinkles.
  7. Final inspection: Garment is inspected for quality and cleanliness before packaging.

2. Machine Dry Cleaning Process

How to Dry Clean at Home Without a Kit?
Machine Dry Cleaning Process
  1. Sorting and loading: Garments are sorted and loaded into the dry cleaning machine.
  2. Pre-treatment or Patch Test: Stains are pre-treated with a solution to help loosen dirt.
  3. Washing: The machine washes the garments using a solvent, such as perchloroethylene or hydrocarbon.
  4. Rinsing: The machine rinses the garments with a clean solvent to remove dirt and cleaning solution.
  5. Drying: The machine uses heat and air flow to dry the garments.
  6. Cooling: The machine cools the garments to prevent wrinkling and creasing.
  7. Unloading: The clean garments are unloaded from the machine and transferred to a finishing area.
  8. Finishing: Garments are steamed or pressed to restore shape and remove wrinkles.
  9. Final inspection: Garments are inspected for quality and cleanliness before being returned to the customer.

How to do Dry Cleaning at Home?

How to Dry Clean at Home With a Kit?
How to do Dry Cleaning at Home?

If you want to do dry cleaning at home, you can do it with the help of a dry cleaning kit as per your needs. This process includes removal of stains, enclosing your clothes in a plastic bag, placing your garment into the dryer for a perfect dry cleaning. Make sure you follow the instructions mentioned in the kit to ensure effective cleaning. 

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What You Will Need

  • Dry cleaning kit 
  • Automatic clothes dryer
  • Clothes steamer
  • Steam Iron
  • Ironing board
  • Pressing cloth
  • Flat drying rack
  • Sturdy clothes hangers
  • Dry cleaning stain remover

Dry Cleaning Of Clothes With a Kit

You must be wondering, how to do dry cleaning at home? Here are the steps that are to be followed while dry cleaning at home with a kit.  

Step 1: Segregation

Segregation is a significant step in the process of dry cleaning which includes segregation of clothes into distinct categories to ensure effective and safe cleaning as per different factors. This includes separating items by color, fabric type, soil level, and delicacy, as well as identifying special care items such as leather, suede, and fur. Additionally, checking garment labels for specific care instructions and separating items with metal parts, such as zippers or buttons, helps prevent damage during cleaning. 

Step 2: Treat Stains

Stain treatment is very important before dry cleaning. So, It is important to check for stains and treat them before dry cleaning. Removing stains totally depends on the type and age of stains. So, check whether it is oil based or water based and then choose the stain remover accordingly. Also, Check out another blog, does dry cleaning remove stains?

Step 3: Turn Clothes Inside Out

For effective cleaning results, turn your clothes with body odor inside out before dry cleaning, allowing the cleaning steam to penetrate deeper and target problem spots more effectively, helping to eliminate lingering odors and leave your garments smelling fresh and clean.

Step 4: Use the Dryer Bag

Try to use a dryer bag while doing dry cleaning at home and group similar fabrics together in the bag, avoiding mixing heavy or coarse items with delicate ones. Leave ample space in the bag and dryer to allow fabrics to tumble freely, ensuring effective cleaning and preventing damage to your garments. 

Step 5: Prevent Wrinkles

For best dry cleaning process, always read the instructions carefully to set a timer for the cycle’s completion. Immediately remove garments from the dryer to prevent wrinkles and creases. Allow slightly damp items to air-dry, then hang structured garments on sturdy hangers and lay knit items flat on a horizontal drying rack to maintain their shape and prevent damage.

Step 6: Create Crisp Lines 

Before packaging, always make sure that your clothes do not have any wrinkles. Remove them with a steamer or iron. For crisp clothes, try to use a steam iron or an iron to create sharp collars and pleats. With the right pressing, you can make your clothes look their best. 

How to Dry Clean at Home Without a Kit?

If you don’t have a dry cleaning kit and still if you want to dry clean, either you can try homemade dry cleaning kits or there are many alternatives that can be used for dry cleaning at home. To avoid any damage, it is advisable to not try these methods frequently and don’t use heavily stained clothes. If you are still interested in trying dry cleaning at home and want to know more about kits, Click here to know how to make a dry cleaning kit at home?

Step 1: Sort Clothes 

Before you start dry cleaning, always segregate your clothes according to color, weight, fabric, etc.

Step 2: Patch test

Patch test is an important step in the dry cleaning process. It is done in the hidden part of your clothes so that you can check if the solvent is suitable for your clothes or not. You can check risks like color fading, fabric damage, etc with the help of patch test. 

Step 3: Remove the stains first

Stain removal is always done prior to dry cleaning as we need to check the type and age of stain and then we need to apply the respective stain removal solvent. For stain removal, first you need stain absorbent pads which need to be placed on the backside of the stained area. Put 2-3 drops of stain remover solution and rub it gently using a soft-bristled brush or a soft cloth. 

Step 4: Put your clothes in laundry bag 

Close all buttons and zippers. Turn your clothes inside out. When the interior is exposed to more of the cleaning steam it will kill the odours. You can also put similar types of fabric in the same laundry bag. Remember, don’t overload your laundry bag as the garments need space to move freely. 

Step 5: Run the dryer on ideal setting

Place the laundry bags with dryer sheets. If you don’t have dryer sheets, you can also use a microfibre towel. These sheets or towels are infused with the dry cleaning solution. Run your dryer on a medium to high heat for 30 minutes and wait till the cycle ends.

Step 6: Remove the clothes from the dryer

Remove your clothes from the dryer immediately when the cycle is finished as it will prevent wrinkles. If your clothes are still slightly damp so air-dry them. 

Step 7: Let them dry

For the dry process, Hang or lay your clothes depending on their fabric or structure. For example, Try to hang structured clothes on sturdy hangers, whereas, you should lay knitted garments on a flat surface and let them dry. 

Benefits of Dry Cleaning

What is dry cleaning?
Benefits of dry cleaning

Dry cleaning offers several advantages, especially for delicate or high-end garments:

Gentle on Fabrics – Dry cleaning prevents shrinkage of your favourite clothes. Also, it ensures that there is no color fading, fabric distortion, etc.  

Effective Stain Removal – There are many stains that cannot be effectively removed by washing but in dry cleaning, specialized stain Oil-based and deep-set stains that water cannot remove are easily dissolved by dry cleaning solvents.

Preserves Fabric Quality – Dry cleaning always preserves the fabric quality, extending the lifespan of clothes.

Convenient and Time-Saving – Professional dry cleaning is always convenient and time saving rather than washing, drying, and ironing clothes at home.

Odor and Germ Removal – Dry cleaning eliminates odors, bacteria, and allergens that regular washing may not completely remove.

Eco-Friendly and Modern Alternatives

With increasing environmental concerns, many dry cleaners like Tumbledry are adopting eco-friendly dry cleaning methods. Tumbledry uses Lagoon technology which is the world’s only eco-friendly and Woolmark certified dry cleaning process that ensures:

  • Zero cloth shrinkage
  • 100% preservation of cloth shine and texture
  • Zero harm to environment, unlike toxic oil based solvents used by other dry cleaners near you

These advancements ensure that dry cleaning remains effective while reducing harm to the environment.

Conclusion

Not every cloth can be cleaned by regular washing, instead they need special care and cleaning i.e, dry cleaning. Whether you want to clean your business suit, delicate gown, pure cashmere sweater, dry cleaning ensures that your clothes remain fresh and in their original shape and size. With the right techniques and solvents, dry cleaning ensures that your clothes look new, fresh and brand new! 

So next time you see a “Dry Clean Only” label, you’ll know exactly why it’s recommended!

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not necessarily purport to reflect the values or views of Tumbledry.

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We specialize in dry cleaning of Persian rugs, silk & Turkish carpets, and all other premium, imported rugs of nylon, wool, cotton, polyester and olefin.

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Our Woolmark approved Lagoon system is the world’s most advanced and eco-friendly technology for dry cleaning woolen garments – sweaters, coats, furs, shawls, pashmina, and jackets.

Your woolen garments will be delivered stain free, and will retain their original texture, smoothness, fluffiness, shape & size. Our advanced systems and processes ensure zero shrinkage.

For expensive and delicate woolens like furs & pashmina, we use special eco-friendly chemicals from Germany which are of neutral ph, and form a protective covering around wool fiber to maintain its shine & lustre after dry cleaning.

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Premium curtain dry cleaning service service with facility to remove the curtains from rods and install them back after dry cleaning.

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Professional leather dry cleaning for jackets, bags, purses, clutches, wallets, belts, shoes, boots and stilettos.

Protect your leather items from dirt, dust, oil stains, perspiration, dehydration, mold & mildew.

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Want to restore the glory of your haute couture? Look no further than Tumbledry!

We have a separate team of processing experts who handle your most expensive silk, bridal & designer wear for dry cleaning. Each Haute Couture article is given a customized treatment in our state of the art dry cleaning facility.

Our team has more than a decade experience of dry cleaning most delicate and expensive silk sarees, including: Banarasi silk, Kanjivaram/Kanchipuram silk, Baluchari silk, Bomkai silk, Tussar silk, Chanderi silk, Dharmavaram silk, Banglori silk, Mysore silk, and Patola silk.

Be it Manish Malhotra, Tarun Tahiliani, Masaba Gupta, or Sabyasachi Mukherjee – we have got tons of experience dry cleaning fashion articles from most popular designer houses. We understand the nuances of the make and design, as well as the fabric structure used by these designer houses – and this enables us to give the perfect treatment to these haute couture articles

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