wash vs dryclean

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PurplePerson1

PurplePerson1

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Sep 18, 2001
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Mansfield, Ohio
We talk about dry lceaning fabrics here and I want to know, doesn't even the cleanest dry cleaning agent add a chemical to the fabric? This is surely not good for it and could cause harm later.

I just read this article. What do you think?

Some of the "dry clean only" rules are, in part, because of the chemicals we use on the non-dry cleaning these days. There is no reason you can't wash silk (as an example) in soap and water - but add bleach and your silk disappears. For really fine, sheer silks the residues of chemicals left from a prior load in either a commercial or residential washing machine can leave holes or worse. Hence, "dry clean only". Or handwashing.

You can also wash wool in water. In fact, back in the days when I was learning how to process wool from "sheep to sweater" we had to wash the fleece, and we did NOT dry clean it!... You CAN wash wool in soap and water BUT (and this is very important) you must not agitate it!. VERY gentle squooshings. Otherwise, it turns into felt. What do modern washing machines do? Whomp the bejessuz out of your clothes on the "spin" cycle. So no wool in the washing machine. Either dry clean or hand wash (with very gentle squooshings).
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Dry cleaning solvents like PERC and TCE are used routinely for dry cleaning. PERC or perchloroethylene and TCE or Trichloroethylene are both volatile solvents that leave no residue. They are of course highly chlorinated solvents, and therefore kind of nasty to those exposed, with out proper protective equipment. There are some freon type cleaners that are not as hazardous to the ozone layer and even some newer powder type cleaners.

But to answer your question, if used properly none of the chemical should remain behind in what you are cleaning.
 
Originally posted by jvandy57:
...PERC or perchloroethylene and TCE or Trichloroethylene are both volatile solvents that leave no residue...if used properly none of the chemical should remain behind in what you are cleaning.
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Thanks for all those big words, Jerry -- even though I don't know what they mean. :(

I've heard textile artists poo-poo dry cleaning, not necessarily because of the
chemical liquids themselves, but because of the dirty contaminants they introduce, which come from other items cleaned in the same fluid.

I've heard that most dry cleaners re-use their fluids until they are waaaay too dirty for our purposes. Can anyone confirm or deny that rumor?
 
How could chlorine and flammable solvents be good for a textile? They may not leave a residue, but how about the process itself breaking down fibers even cleaned in a clean solvent? Freon kills dogs.
 
Jim I have heard the same thing about the solvent getting dirty. I'm sure they filter it, but there must come a point where ithas to be discarded. Perhaps Framer Dave can search his memory banks.

Susan, textiles are dead already, so they won't be killed by organic solvents. ;) And, as JeRy says, they do evaporate. But you're right that drycleaning fluids may harm solvent sensitive parts of textiles (eg some types of plastic). Also, they can remove good things, like lanolin, from some types of woolen pieces - Fishing sweaters for example, are left full of lanolin for waterproofing.

As always, valuable pieces should be tested first, before dry or wet cleaning and, if in doubt - don't.

As an aside - soap is not good for cleaning any protein fabric (e.g. wool or silk). The pH is too high. A pH neutral detergent like Orvus or, for modern fabrics that are in domestic use, Woolite, is best for these fibers.

Rebecca

[ 09-24-2003, 11:51 AM: Message edited by: Rebecca ]
 
I've heard that most dry cleaners re-use their fluids until they are waaaay too dirty for our purposes. Can anyone confirm or deny that rumor?
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Well, Jim... yes, the fluids are re-used. Now how dirty it gets is really a function of the owner/operator. Just as there are framers out there who use questionable methods, there are dry cleaners out there who will stretch their filters to the breaking point and not replace them until the fluid looks like motor oil.

To find a reputable cleaner, look for the FIA (Fabricare Institute of America) sticker or ask if they are a member It's sort of their equivalent of the PPFA. (Yes, I know that membership in the PPFA is no guarentee, but it's a start.)

Ask how often they change their filters or when the last time was that they changed them. Now if I only knew how often they should be changed...
 
The question, as I understood it, was general about Dry Cleaning Fabrics with Dry cleaning chemicals. I did not say use them freely or take a 100 year old textile to the One Hour Martinizing and get it dry cleaned.

Can Freon Kill dogs -- sure -- so can cars.

Halon fire extinguishers have been used for years in computer and sensitive electronic equipment rooms. Halon is a chlorofluorocarbon like Freon, it can kill you dead too or your dog.

I also didn't say anything about it being dirty or not, the pure solvent is 100% volatile. It leaves no residue. TCE is the best solvent in the world for oil and grease, however it will dissolve plastic.

Susan, there is chlorine in table salt, just because something contains chlorine does not mean that the chlorine is reactive. BTW you can die by eating too much salt too, I think if you eat about 1 cup all at once.

And one more thing, PERC and TCE are not flammable.
 
Good point, Jerry. Aside from the fluids used in dry cleaning, there are some other things out there that are pretty nasty, but are used to clean clothes anyway.

One is dihydrogen monoxide. If it's breathed in, it can cause death, to you or your dog. In its gaseous form, it will cause severe burns and when solid can cause severe cellular damage. It's a wonder it doesn't do more damage to fabric than good, but it's actually pretty effective. I wouldn't be surprised if OSHA or the EPA bans it in the workplace.
 
Cute Dave, very cute!
 
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