Are you curious about the work being done by your local dry cleaners? How does it differ from ordinary laundry that you do at home? Well, they are fairly similar, except that local dry cleaners use a liquid solvent instead of water and detergent to clean the clothes.
The solvent used by dry cleaners contains little to no water at all, which is why it is referred to as dry cleaning. Although the garments get wet, the liquid solvent evaporates considerably faster than water.
The massive machines used by dry cleaners are more technologically advanced than home washing machines.
The solvent used is not emptied and discarded like filthy water in a regular home washing machine. Throughout the dry cleaning cycle, the machine recirculates the solvent through filters to eliminate any contaminants dislodged during the process. The next step involves distilling the solvent until it becomes clear and purified, ready to be reused again.
One advantage of dry cleaning over traditional washing is that the chemicals used outperform water in removing greasy or oily residues, both of which cause many garment stains. In traditional cleaning, the water makes the fibers swell, and this swelling effect causes dye fading and shrinkage in many clothing.
After thoroughly washing your clothes, the dry cleaner will press them. This finishing procedure will vary depending on the clothing but often involve pressing and steaming.
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