Although dry cleaning is a part of most of many people’s weekly routine, the dry cleaning process itself is often not given much thought. Now that more people are becoming concerned about how the solvents may be impacting families as well as local air and water, this has started to change. Many dry cleaners- including Red Hanger- have been moving towards a more environmentally friendly dry cleaning processes from start to finish. You simply deliver your dirty clothes (or we pick them up) and then they’re returned clean! As our awareness of how chemicals affect the environment grows. However, more customers are asking what kind of solvents are used and what impact they may be having. The truth is that in the early days of modern dry cleaning, many companies used non-eco-friendly chemicals. Environmental impact simply was not a priority.
How Does Dry Cleaning Actually Work?
To begin with, dry cleaning is not actually “dry,” it just uses solvents other than water to carefully clean water-sensitive materials like wool, silk, or fabric with certain types of dyes. For these special cases, the main solvent used for dry cleaning has usually been a petroleum-based chemical. For a long time, many dry cleaning companies used a solvent called perchloroethylene. The clothing became cleaned with this agent and then the solvent became extracted to then reuse.
Lately, there have been concerns regarding the use of strong chemicals like perchloroethylene. This is because of the potential health and environmental risks that may have undergone involvement.
How Can Dry Cleaning Be Environmentally Friendly?
Luckily, there is a strong shift in the industry toward green dry cleaning, something that Red Hanger feels proud to participate in to protect the health of Wasatch Front families and our environment alike. With green dry cleaning many of the wasteful steps can become eliminated.
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First, cleaners are opting for a completely digitized system to track clothing. This new technology eliminates the need for tags, paper, or pins.
Dry cleaners are also opting for cleaner dry cleaning solvents that are made from earth friendly solutions. Further, energy efficient machines are taking the place of outdated and heavy energy consuming machinery. With green dry cleaning, every effort uses recycled materials. This means everything from the plastic bag that protects the clean clothing to the hangers are 100% recycled.
As a family-run business, Red Hanger Cleaners is always dedicated to reducing waste and using clean solvents to protect the health of both families and our environment for future generations. If you’re ready for clean clothes, convenience, and peace of mind, contact us today! Also, feel free to take a look at our published blog post to learn more about how dry cleaning services save you time and money!