Keeping your clothes clean is obviously one thing you should put on your list of priorities. If you can’t clean your clothes on your own, you can choose from various laundry options out there. But it would be best if you remember that washing your clothes shouldn’t cause harm to the environment.
It’s a good thing that laundry shops are offering eco-friendly dry-cleaning services around. You may have heard of the usual dry-cleaning process, but not about its effects on the environment. To help you better understand things, here are a few thoughts to ponder.
More often than not, you don’t get to ask what cleaning solvents are used for dry-cleaning your clothes. However, you should know that the most common dry-cleaning solvent is perchloroethylene – commonly known as PERC. It’s not just dangerous to the environment, but it also causes harm to your health.
Known as a central nervous system depressant, inhaling or any chances of contact with this chemical isn’t good. To make the story short, the use of PERC in dry-cleaning is toxic.
Apart from acting as a cleaning solvent to your clothes, PERC is also used in making adhesives, spot removers, shoe polish, typewriter correction fluid, printer ink, paint, and some household cleaning supplies.
Depending on the amount of exposure, PERC causes several effects on people. These dangers aren’t limited to the people who work in the dry-cleaning industry but also the customers. You’re supposed to bring home clean clothes, not those that are contaminated with PERC.
The short-term side effects of PERC include, but are not limited to the following:
Long-term exposure to PERC can affect your:
If you live near a dry cleaner that uses PERC, you may be at risk of being exposed to it. It can happen through the following:
It’s understandable how you can’t resist smelling your newly cleaned clothes. However, if your clothes came from a dry-cleaner that uses PERC, it can cause some harm. Breathing in the chemical released from clothes that have been cleaned with PERC can cause health issues.
Drinking water contaminated with PERC equally harms your health.
It happens when you come into contact with clothes that are cleaned with PERC or any other substances containing them.
Fortunately, dry cleaners are using PERC alternatives. Remember that there’s nothing wrong with asking your dry cleaner if they’re using PERC in their dry-cleaning services or not. If they do, they might as well ask if they have other eco-friendly solvents available for usage.
You can try browsing over the internet about the advantages of eco-friendly options.
If you aren’t familiar with the use of natural chemicals in dry-cleaning, GoGreen Dry Cleaners will be most happy to help you learn more. You can help save the environment by simply switching to eco-friendly options and saying goodbye to the use of harmful chemicals like PERC. Make your move now!
