The most important thing you can do for a more sustainable wardrobe is to buy less and wear it more. That means taking good care of your clothes. You probably already mend instead of tossing when you can. You’ve probably already upped your laundry game, using efficient appliances, skipping dryer sheets or replacing them with dryer balls, and using nontoxic laundry detergent. But what do you do when labels command, “Dry clean only”?

Even if you don’t have to wear suits at work, nearly everyone has a few items of clothing that shouldn’t go in the washing machine. These are usually the ones you can least afford to ruin accidentally. How bad is dry cleaning, and is green dry cleaning really green?

Dry Cleaning Isn’t Dry

When you wash clothes at home, your detergent acts as a surfactant, breaking water molecules apart and allowing them to dissolve dirt on your clothes. But as we’ve all discovered the hard way, water damages some fabrics.

The “dry” in dry cleaning refers to the fact that no water is used. But dry cleaning is not actually dry. When clothes are dry-cleaned, they are soaked in a solvent that breaks down dirt and oil. But that liquid is a chemical solvent. That chemical is usually perchloroethylene, known as “PERC.” Perhaps “dry cleaning” sounds better than “chemical cleaning.”

The Environmental Protection Agency has banned PERC dry-cleaning machines from residential buildings and evaluated PERC under the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. People have known since the 1970s that PERC is a dangerous chemical:

California completed its phase-out of PERC in dry cleaning facilities in 2023. New Jersey, Illinois, and other states have followed with restrictions or phase-outs of their own.

Traditional PERC dry-cleaning processes are also highly wasteful. Replacing old transfer equipment with closed-loop systems can reduce a dry cleaner’s PERC use by up to 70%. And on-site distillation can recover up to 90% of solvents. But because PERC is so harmful, a better choice is to switch solvents entirely—or better yet, use water-based methods.

Unfortunately, not all solvents marketed as “green” are truly safe. Many require expensive new equipment, and some alternatives have their own problems. Here’s what you need to know:

Best Choice: Professional Wet Cleaning

Professional wet cleaning is the safest and most energy-efficient method for cleaning “Dry Clean Only” clothes. It uses water as a solvent—rather than chemicals—with a combination of special biodegradable soaps and conditioners.

When you have your clothes professionally wet cleaned, they are laundered in a computer-controlled washer and dryer that gently cleans clothes, sometimes spinning at as few as six revolutions per minute (a typical home washing machine may rotate clothes several dozen times per minute). These special machines can be programmed with variables such as time, temperature, and mechanical action, allowing cleaners to tailor the wash to the fabric type.

According to Peter Sinsheimer, who led the first peer-reviewed study showing wet cleaning’s effectiveness, “Wet cleaning can clean leather, wool, silk, and suits. And it doesn’t shrink clothes. Dry cleaners can damage leather. Wet cleaning doesn’t. What can be successfully wet cleaned is higher than the percentage of what can be dry cleaned.”

The city of San Francisco’s Environment Department reports these benefits when 10 garment cleaners switch to wet cleaning:

• Total greenhouse gas reductions: 38,334 lbs CO2/year
• Total volatile organic compounds saved: 2,023.8 lbs/year
• Significant water and energy savings compared to PERC processing

Also Excellent: Liquid CO2 Cleaning

Liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) cleaning is another truly safe option recognized by regulators as nontoxic and non-smog-forming. Liquid CO2 companies recapture CO2 that’s already a by-product of manufacturing processes and recycle it into the liquid solvent for cleaning clothes. No new CO2 is produced.

The main drawback is cost: while CO2 itself is cheap and abundant, the equipment is expensive, limiting adoption. However, these machines save money in the long term by eliminating disposal and regulatory costs associated with toxic solvents.

Be wary of dry cleaners advertising themselves as “green” or “organic” without specifics:

• GreenEarth (siloxane/D-5): This widely marketed “green” option involves a manufacturing process that requires chlorine, which generates toxic dioxin. Other studies suggest it is a potential cancer risk. While GreenEarth is better than PERC, it is not the safest option.
• “Organic” cleaners: May use hydrocarbon solvents, which are petroleum-based and contribute to smog. Some organic products contain neurotoxicants or carcinogens, such as benzene.

Always ask specifically: “Do you use wet cleaning or liquid CO2?” If the answer is no, ask what solvent they use and research it.

Customers are rarely aware of it, but even dry cleaners that have not made the switch to safer solvents already wash many garments in regular laundromat-style washing machines. When cleaners receive an item, they evaluate the fabric and, if it doesn’t require dry cleaning, wash it normally.

In many cases, these fabrics can be hand-washed or even machine-washed at home:

• Silk (hand wash cold, lay flat to dry)
• Wool and cashmere (hand wash cold or delicate cycle)
• Velvet (steam or hand wash carefully)
• Linen (machine washable; may need ironing)
• Most synthetic fabrics are labeled “dry clean.”

“Dry Clean” vs. “Dry Clean Only”

There’s an important distinction:

• “Dry clean” is a recommendation—the manufacturer suggests dry cleaning, but the item can likely be washed carefully at home.
• “Dry clean only” means this is the only recommended method—proceed with caution if washing at home.

When in doubt, test a small, hidden area first, or take the garment to a professional wet cleaner.

If you don’t want to risk a treasured clothing item or don’t have time to hand-wash, look for a professional wet cleaner. Here’s how to find one:

Questions to Ask Your Dry Cleaner

Before you give a dry cleaner your business, ask these questions to assess whether they are aligned with your environmental values:

1. Do you offer professional wet cleaning?
2. What solvent do you use for dry cleaning? (Ask for specifics, not just “green”)
3. Can you put my textiles into a wet-cleaning machine instead?
4. Do you use EPA Safer Choice-certified products?
5. Can I bring my own reusable garment bag?
6. Will you reuse my hangers?

Reducing Dry Cleaning Overall

The greenest dry cleaning is the dry cleaning you don’t need. Consider these strategies:

• Air out garments between wearings instead of cleaning after every use
• Spot clean minor stains rather than cleaning the entire garment
• Use a garment steamer to freshen clothes and remove wrinkles without cleaning
• Choose machine-washable fabrics when shopping for new clothes
• Brush wool garments to remove surface dirt—an old practice that extends the time between cleanings

The Future of Green Cleaning

The future of dry cleaning can be green. Many states are phasing out PERC use, accelerating the transition to green alternatives. These regulatory changes make adopting green technology not just environmentally responsible but also a business necessity for long-term viability.

When superior technology that protects your garments and the environment is available, there’s no reason to continue using traditional toxic cleaning methods. Research into new solvents and cleaning methods continues to advance, with innovations such as fungal enzymes and improved surfactants making wet cleaning ever more effective.

When you choose an environmentally responsible dry cleaner, you’re protecting your clothes and the planet, while supporting the industry’s evolution toward sustainability.

Editor’s Note: Originally published in October 2021, this article was most recently updated in November 2025 based on recent research and changes in state law.