Dry cleaning

Traditional dry cleaning is very bad for the environment, so try to use an environmentally friendly dry cleaner instead.

This chemical is not only dangerous to those who work at dry cleaners, but it can also off-gas from your clothes into the air in your home, posing a potential threat to your health.

Some dry cleaners now offer a safer alternative to using perc. The best alternatives to traditional dry cleaning use either CO2, a silicone-based solvent, or wet cleaning which uses biodegradable soaps. The cost is comparable to traditional dry cleaning, and the results are also comparable.

The other environmental issue with dry cleaning is the plastic bags that are used. This generates a lot of waste, so many dry cleaners are offering reusable bags, or you can bring your own reusable bag. This reduces a lot of plastic waste. Some environmentally friendly dry cleaners even use cardboard hangers instead of plastic.

If you can’t find a green dry cleaner in your area, then try to minimize dry cleaning. One way to do this is by buying clothes that do not require dry cleaning. If you do use a traditional dry cleaner, then let the clothes air out outside before putting them in your closet if possible.