Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Dry cleaning
Dry cleaning is any cleaning process for clothing and textiles using a solvent other than water. Clothes are instead soaked in a water-free liquid organic solvent (usually non-polar, as opposed to water which is a polar solvent) typically inside a specialised dry-cleaning machine. The most commonly used solvent is Perchloroethylene (known as "perc" for short), although other solvents such as hydrocarbon mixtures, tetrachloroethylene and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane are also used. Historical solvents include carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, trichlorotrifluoroethane, trichloroethane and n-propyl bromide.
Most natural fibers can be washed in water but some synthetics (e.g., rayon) react poorly with water and should be dry cleaned if possible. If not, this could result in changes in texture, colour, strength, and shape. Additionally, certain specialty fabrics, including silk, acetate and rayon, may also benefit from dry cleaning to prevent damage.
French dye-works operator Jean Baptiste Jolly developed his own method using kerosene and gasoline to clean fabrics. He opened the first dry cleaning service in Paris in 1845.
Flammability concerns led William Joseph Stoddard, a dry cleaner from Atlanta, to develop in 1924 Stoddard solvent (white spirit) as a slightly less flammable alternative to gasoline-based solvents. It was the dominant dry-cleaning solvent in the US until the 1950s when perchloroethylene became the dominant solvent.
The use of highly flammable petroleum solvents caused many fires and explosions, resulting in government regulation of dry cleaners.[citation needed]
After World War I, dry cleaners began using chlorinated solvents. These solvents were much less flammable than petroleum solvents and had improved cleaning power.[citation needed] Early solvents were carbon tetrachloride and trichloroethylene (TCE). Carbon tetrachloride was first used as a stain remover in the early 1890s in Germany. TCE was introduced in 1930, it had the downside of being incompatible with acetate dyes and it was later replaced by perchloroethylene (tetrachloroethylene) which was introduced in 1933.
By the mid-1930s, the dry cleaning industry had started to adopt perchloroethylene as the main solvent. It has excellent cleaning power and is nonflammable and compatible with most garments. Because it is stable, perchloroethylene is readily recycled.
Dry cleaning solvents selectively dissolves stains on the article. The solvents are non-polar and tend to selectively extract many compounds that cause stains. Some of these stains would otherwise only dissolve in aqueous detergent mixtures at high temperatures, potentially damaging delicate fabrics. Non-polar solvents are also good for some fabrics, especially natural fibres, as the solvent does not interact with any polar groups within the fabric. Water binds to these polar groups (hydroxyls in the cellulose for example) which results in the swelling and stretching of proteins within fibers during laundering. Also, the binding of water molecules interferes with weak attractions within the fiber, resulting in the loss of the fiber's original shape. After the laundry cycle, water molecules will evaporate. However, the original shape of the fibers has already been distorted and this commonly results in shrinkage. Non-polar solvents prevent this interaction, protecting more delicate fabrics. The usage of an effective solvent coupled with mechanical friction from tumbling effectively removes stains.
Hub AI
Dry cleaning AI simulator
(@Dry cleaning_simulator)
Dry cleaning
Dry cleaning is any cleaning process for clothing and textiles using a solvent other than water. Clothes are instead soaked in a water-free liquid organic solvent (usually non-polar, as opposed to water which is a polar solvent) typically inside a specialised dry-cleaning machine. The most commonly used solvent is Perchloroethylene (known as "perc" for short), although other solvents such as hydrocarbon mixtures, tetrachloroethylene and decamethylcyclopentasiloxane are also used. Historical solvents include carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, trichlorotrifluoroethane, trichloroethane and n-propyl bromide.
Most natural fibers can be washed in water but some synthetics (e.g., rayon) react poorly with water and should be dry cleaned if possible. If not, this could result in changes in texture, colour, strength, and shape. Additionally, certain specialty fabrics, including silk, acetate and rayon, may also benefit from dry cleaning to prevent damage.
French dye-works operator Jean Baptiste Jolly developed his own method using kerosene and gasoline to clean fabrics. He opened the first dry cleaning service in Paris in 1845.
Flammability concerns led William Joseph Stoddard, a dry cleaner from Atlanta, to develop in 1924 Stoddard solvent (white spirit) as a slightly less flammable alternative to gasoline-based solvents. It was the dominant dry-cleaning solvent in the US until the 1950s when perchloroethylene became the dominant solvent.
The use of highly flammable petroleum solvents caused many fires and explosions, resulting in government regulation of dry cleaners.[citation needed]
After World War I, dry cleaners began using chlorinated solvents. These solvents were much less flammable than petroleum solvents and had improved cleaning power.[citation needed] Early solvents were carbon tetrachloride and trichloroethylene (TCE). Carbon tetrachloride was first used as a stain remover in the early 1890s in Germany. TCE was introduced in 1930, it had the downside of being incompatible with acetate dyes and it was later replaced by perchloroethylene (tetrachloroethylene) which was introduced in 1933.
By the mid-1930s, the dry cleaning industry had started to adopt perchloroethylene as the main solvent. It has excellent cleaning power and is nonflammable and compatible with most garments. Because it is stable, perchloroethylene is readily recycled.
Dry cleaning solvents selectively dissolves stains on the article. The solvents are non-polar and tend to selectively extract many compounds that cause stains. Some of these stains would otherwise only dissolve in aqueous detergent mixtures at high temperatures, potentially damaging delicate fabrics. Non-polar solvents are also good for some fabrics, especially natural fibres, as the solvent does not interact with any polar groups within the fabric. Water binds to these polar groups (hydroxyls in the cellulose for example) which results in the swelling and stretching of proteins within fibers during laundering. Also, the binding of water molecules interferes with weak attractions within the fiber, resulting in the loss of the fiber's original shape. After the laundry cycle, water molecules will evaporate. However, the original shape of the fibers has already been distorted and this commonly results in shrinkage. Non-polar solvents prevent this interaction, protecting more delicate fabrics. The usage of an effective solvent coupled with mechanical friction from tumbling effectively removes stains.