ORGANIC DRY CLEANING. DOES IT EXIST?
photo credit: robinsonsmay
With all the ecological happenings, you have probably heard a term “organic dry cleaning”. But is there such a thing as organic dry cleaning? It almost seems like a perfect oxymoron—how can dry cleaning even be organic? Doesn’t it contradict one another? Everyone knows that dry cleaning in itself entails using chemicals (which are everything but organic). Or does it? Are there natural products that could be used to substitute the harsh chemicals in use nowadays?
Unfortunately, there aren’t any regulations of the term “organic” when it comes to dry cleaning. Most dry cleaners identify themselves as “organic” or “natural” mainly because they stopped using a hazardous chemical called perchloroethylene (or perc), which is considered an air pollutant and a probable human carcinogen. Additionally, it contaminates water and soil. The Environmental Protection Agency passed a law in 2006 requiring all dry cleaners in residential buildings to fade out perc by 2020. Many dry cleaners replaced perc with other supposedly safe chemicals, e.g. DF-2000 or quite popular siloxane D5. Some organizations claim that the use of these chemicals is safe for consumers, workers and the environment however, there are others that disagree. In fact, Greenpeace declared that the production of siloxane requires heat and chlorine, which can form the cancer-causing substance dioxin, and the chemical itself has been found in the human fat.
Wet cleaning and carbon dioxide cleaning are the greenest options available, and wet cleaning is actually considered the most environmentally safe and is recommended by Greenpeace. It uses computer-controlled washers and dryers to wash and dry garments before ironing or steam pressing. The process replaces harsh solvents with less-toxic detergents, which are milder than traditional home laundry detergents. Moreover, it doesn’t pollute air or water and has no harmful health affects. CO2 cleaning uses food-based grade carbon dioxide (the same stuff used in carbonated drinks), which, when exposed to a lot pressure, changes from gas to liquid which, in turn, is used to clean fabrics and such with significantly less health and environmental risks. This method, however, tends to be more expensive than your traditional dry cleaning because of the necessary equipment involved in the process.
But the greenest and most environmentally friendly method of cleaning some of your more delicate garments is simply hand washing with a very mild detergent and line drying them (weather permitting). So there you go…
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