One common myth is that “Frequent Dry Cleaning Shortens the Life of a Garment.” Simply put, this isn’t true. Frequent cleaning actually prolongs the life of a garment. Here’s why:
Not only do stains set with age making them more difficult to remove, but ground-in dirt, soil and dust actually acts like sandpaper on your clothes. Those little particles act as an abrasive and wear down the fibers on your clothing. Additionally, insects are attracted to stains and soil in clothing increasing your risk of insect damage because larva will actually feed on those fibers (Yuck!).
We’re not just saying this because we’re in the dry cleaning biz. Research was conducted by the Department of Clothing & Textiles at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The research showed that the dry cleaning process has absolutely no effect on the properties of wool in mens suiting fabrics.
Sometimes we hear the “chemicals” used in dry cleaning are too aggressive and break down clothing. The majority of cleaners in the United States use perc which is an aggressive cleaner but still does not deteriorate clothing fibers. At Balfurd, we use K4 which is an even gentler cleaning processes than perc. It’s actually made out of corn!
Some customers say they don’t clean their garments, they only get them pressed at the advice of a clothing store where they purchased the item. This is especially detrimental to your clothing because heat permanently sets stains and grinds dirt even further into clothing causing more abrasion. If a clothing manufacturer doesn’t recommend cleaning their garments than they are not making their garments correctly. A well-made garment has no problem withstanding normal cleaning procedures.
You have absolutely nothing to fear when dry cleaning your clothing. Dry cleaning will help to extend the life of your clothing so you can get the most use out of your wardrobe. Have a question about dry cleaning? We are State College’s dry cleaning experts! Contact us and we’d be happy to help!