Perc is bad, kids. Do you dryclean?

I have driven by this cool, Austin business many times and decided to do a bit of research.

EcoClean on Guadalupe is centrally located and offers a delivery service that helps keep more people from driving to and fro. They also have eco-friendly bags!

We all have heard that dry cleaning is bad for the environment, but have you looked into the ‘why’? I did, and while I generally don’t own anything that I feel needs to be dry cleaned, there is the occasional special garment or blanket that could use expert services.

Most dry cleaners use a solvent commonly known as ‘Perc’. If you’re into the science part of it, Wikipedia has all the details you’ll ever need.

Trimming down to the basics, the things that concern me the most are the following:

California declared perc a toxic chemical back in 1991. Minimal exposure to it can cause dizziness, headaches, nausea and irritate the skin and respiratory system. Longer exposure leads to further badness. Like cancer or neurological effects. This chemical can be brought home on the garments you were having ‘cleaned’. And if perc spills? It doesn’t stop until it hits ground water.

How do we stop this? By not using it! EcoClean makes it very convenient. And if you’re willing to spend a bit more time, you can probably take care of most of your stains at home, safely and naturally!

Happy laundering!