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Dry Cleaning Process

2ULaundry’s Professional Dry Cleaning Service

We clean each item according to its care label – which means you can simply place specialty garments in the Dry Cleaning and Launder Press bag. Here’s more about our dry cleaning process.

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Dry Cleaning Process | 2ULaundry

How does the dry cleaning process work?

Create your laundry account and select your treatment preferences. Remember, our goal is to make laundry day as easy as possible for you. From our drivers to our production team, your clothes are in good hands!

Upon arrival at our facility, each item is checked in for cleaning and will be placed into the appropriate cleaning category for Dry Cleaning or Laundering based on its care label.

Key Steps in the Dry Cleaning Process

Our dry cleaning process very similar to the traditional dry cleaning process you are used to.

Cleaning

The cleaning process safely cleans your special garments without using water. Garments are placed in a large industrial machine and then submerged in the chemical solvent. The clothes are cleaned at a low-spin rate – ideal for soaking stains and not causing too much agitation to delicate garments.  All garments are checked for stains before being pressed.

Pressing

Pressing is a laundry word for “ironing.” After the cleaning, your garments are pressed for a crisp, professional look.

Any garments that can’t be pressed are finished with a steam treatment to remove any wrinkles or imperfections. All dry cleaning garments are checked by a “Spotter” before packaging.

Delivery

Hanging items will be packaged in a plastic garment cover and then placed back inside your Black 2ULaundry Bag.

Orders are typically bundled in groups of 6-10 items to uphold quality and prevent wrinkles. The 2ULaundry delivery will follow notes in your account as to where to hang the garments for delivery.

Dry Cleaning Process | 2ULaundry

What kind of chemicals and solvents are used in the dry cleaning process?

Dry cleaning is named “Dry” because there is no water used in the process. In the past, it involved the use of a chemical called Perchloroethylene, also commonly known as PERC or PCE. This chemical stopped being used over 10 years ago due to its toxicity.

As a company that wasn’t around in the era of Perchloroethylene, we have never processed any garments using this chemical. Instead, our satellite dry cleaning facilities use a liquid silicone as the main solvent during the dry cleaning process. It’s a really light solvent that is chemically inert, is not petroleum-based and is the modern-era standard for dry cleaning products.

Nonetheless, approximately only 15% of the garments sent to us for dry cleaning require the use of this solvent. You will be able to tell by the notes on your garment care tag – used for reference when we consider our cleaning process – whether an item is dry cleaned or laundered and pressed. More on that below!

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Did you know?

There are two machines that are used in the dry cleaning process, one machine is used for cleaning purposes while the other machine is used remove solvent fumes and recycle, condensed, and distill them so that excess solvent can be recycled and reused.

Dry Cleaning Process | 2ULaundry

What’s the difference between dry cleaning and launder press?

“Dry-clean only” is listed on a lot of formal, delicate, and natural fiber garments, but it looms large over most home laundry washers like a quiet threat. You want these items (usually expensive, high-quality pieces) to stay sharp, hold their color, and be handled carefully.

When you send your clothes to the dry cleaner, it is sorted into two treatment types: launder press and dry clean.

Simply put, the difference is whether the garments are washed in dry cleaning solvent or water.

So, how does dry cleaning work? Dry cleaning garments are cleaned with non-water-based solutions and remain dry-ish. They are washed in a washer that does not use water – hence the “dry” reference – but the clothes do tumble in a solvent instead of water. There’s no water involved in the dry-cleaning process. Solvents are used for stain removal, and then each piece is pressed.

The launder press process involves water, much like washing at home. Garments are washed with detergents in commercial machines and pulled out while still damp. Each piece is then pressed until crisp.

Who Chooses?

We make the decision on which treatment each garment requires. Feel free to share any notes or preferences.

At 2ULaundry, we do the sorting for you. Our Dry Clean Bag is for both your dry cleaning and launder press garments. Our team sorts by treatment type before cleaning.

Dry Cleaning

Dry cleaning is for garments made of natural fibers such as silk or wool. Water washing these fabrics can cause damage and even ruin the entire piece.

If you wash a “Dry Clean only” items in water, the fibers become rigid, which can cause the fabric to fade, shrink, or become misshapen.

Launder & Press

For some fabrics, traditional laundering is more effective at removing sweat and oil from garments than dry cleaning.

The launder-and-press process would be the best option for cotton tops, blouses, or polos. You still get that fresh off-the-rack look – regardless of the cleaning process.

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We’re a dry cleaning service you can trust with your favorite outfits. 

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