Serving Size: 4.92 MB Servings Per Container: 1 In Your Body On Your Body For Your Home For Your Family Seeking Medical Treatment How to Detoxify Your Body Guide to Symptoms A Healthy House Values, Vision & Mission Background & History Staff & Advisors News & Upcoming Events Join Our Mailing List Contact Us Recommended Resources Index of Terms Works Cited This product contains 100% natural ingredients. Back to Index of Terms The product Dry Cleaning is in the following categories: Clothing Dry Cleaning CHEMICALS CONTAINED: Dry cleaning is a process that washes clothing in a liquid chemical called perchloroethylene (PERC). HEALTH CONCERNS: Although there is no conclusive evidence that the residue on dry cleaned clothing poses significant health risks to humans, inhaling fumes from this solvent can cause cancer, liver damage, depression of the central nervous system, dizziness, disorientation, and nausea. TIPS & ALTERNATIVES: Remember that sometimes the instruction “Dry Clean Only” is sewn into clothing when it doesn’t need to be dry cleaned. Manufacturers often recommend this out of fear of customer complaints if they wash it incorrectly. Here are the ways to wash certain fabrics: Cotton: Wash with a natural laundry detergent and dry on medium heat. Linen: Same as cotton, but remove from the dryer while still a little damp and press. Silk: Wash each item separately. Swish garment around in a tub of very cold water with a little bit of mild soap. Rinse with cold water – do not ring fabric! Remove excess water by rolling the fabric in a towel and then hang them in the tub to drip dry. Press the garment with a warm iron. Wool: Hand-wash in lukewarm water with mild soap and a few tablespoons of vinegar. Lay-out garment in original shape on a towel, roll up towel to remove water, and then hang garment on a drying rack. Down: You can wash jackets, sleeping bags, etc. in your bathtub with warm water and either mild soap or baking soda. Tumble dry in dryer at a cool temperature. There are Laundromats that are starting to implement “wet cleaning”, which uses non-toxic detergents, computer-controlled washers and dryers, and special finishing techniques to wash delicate garments without PERC. If you do have to get something dry cleaned, remove the garment from its bag immediately and hang the garment in a well-ventilated area (preferably outdoors) to allow the PERC to evaporate. This may take up to a week. Back to Index of Terms