How Does Dry Cleaning Work?

Many people hand their clothing over to a local dry cleaning service without giving any thought to what actually happens with their clothes. Here is a brief overview of how dry cleaning works so the next time you drop your clothes off at our San Rafael and Ross dry cleaners, you will have a good understanding of how your clothes become clean and fresh. 

When your typical dry cleaning service is ready to clean your clothing items, it places them in a washing machine that uses dry cleaning solution and detergent. These cleaners are not water-based as they instead use an oil base or chlorinated solvent that lifts out oily, waxy buildup from the fabric. Often, stain deterrents, water repellents, and chemicals are added to make the clothes feel fresh and crisp. There is only a very small amount of water used when dry cleaning clothing, which means fading and shrinkage is never an issue and the clothes come out dry when done. Then your clothing items are inspected, pressed, steamed, inspected again, bagged, and ready for you to pick up. 

Many dry cleaning services today are becoming more eco-friendly by replacing toxic and polluting solvents with less harmful solvents. The problem with many of these services that are trying to “go green” is that often times, the products they 'upgrade' to are still harmful to the environment and the public. 

When you have A Touch of Class dry clean your clothing, we use cleaning products that are organic, biodegradable, and dermatologically tested. Our Ross and San Rafael dry cleaning service is a true green method that is safe for the planet, safe for our staff, and safe for you. We use the SYSTEMK4 method of cleaning that is absolutely safe and environmentally-friendly. It poses no risks to air, water, people, or soil and is tested dermatologically with the “Very Good” result. This system meets the high standards we set for ourselves as well as the standard we have set for the public. It is a truly green dry cleaning method that will leave your clothes clean and crisp.

​Contact A Touch of Class Today! 

If you have any questions about our dry cleaning service, laundry delivery, or questions about our company, philosophy, or other services we provide, we encourage you to contact us today. You can call (415) 453-8620 for our San Rafael location or (415) 461-3743 for our Ross location. We are always happy to speak with you! We look forward to hearing from you soon!