The main difference in dry cleaning vs washing is the liquid. Washing cleans clothes in water with detergent. Dry cleaning cleans them in a liquid solvent, with only a little moisture added. The care label tells you which one a garment can handle, and the FTC sets the rules for what that label has to say.
Key Takeaways:
- Dry cleaning uses a liquid solvent in place of water.
- A plain “Dryclean” label allows moisture in the solvent up to 75% relative humidity and tumble drying up to 160°F.
- “Dryclean” names one safe method. “Dryclean Only” warns that the garment can’t be washed.
- California’s rules ended perc use in dry cleaning by January 1, 2023.
How does dry cleaning work?
Dry cleaning runs in a machine that holds solvent where a washer would hold water. The FTC’s Care Labeling Rule spells out the standard process behind a plain “Dryclean” label. Any solvent can be used, and a garment goes through these steps.
- The label tells the cleaner what to use and what to skip. If a solvent would harm the garment, the label has to name a safe one, such as a petroleum solvent.
- The garment is cleaned in a dry cleaning machine filled with solvent. The process can add moisture to the solvent, up to 75% relative humidity.
- It tumble dries in hot air at up to 160°F.
- It’s finished with a steam press or steam-air finishing.
In California, the solvent picture has changed. The California Air Resources Board identified perc, a dry cleaning solvent, as a toxic air contaminant in 1991. At the time, dry cleaning was a major source of public exposure to it. CARB’s rules ended perc use in the state’s dry cleaning by January 1, 2023.
Dry cleaning vs laundering: What each one does best
Laundering means washing in water, by hand or by machine. Under the FTC rule, a washing instruction has to say which one, and it has to give a water temperature if regular hot water would harm the garment. Dry cleaning is the solvent route.
When you sort a closet, start with the label.
- Wash everyday cotton T-shirts, jeans, socks, sheets, and towels the way their labels say.
- Wash cotton dress shirts too, as long as the label gives washing instructions.
- Take suits, blazers, and structured coats to the cleaner when the label says dry clean.
- Keep anything marked “Dryclean Only” out of the washer.
If a tag says hand wash, that’s the maker’s instruction for that garment. Our breakdown of how much dry cleaning costs lists typical prices by garment.
What the care label tells you
The exact wording on a care label matters. The FTC explains that if an item can be both washed and dry cleaned, the label only needs to list one of those methods. So “Dryclean” alone names one safe method. It doesn’t promise the garment would be ruined in water.
“Dryclean Only” is a stronger warning. The FTC says a maker can use it only with evidence that washing will damage the garment. A “Professionally dryclean” label has to come with a change to the normal process, such as “No steam,” which tells the cleaner what to skip.
Our post on whether dry cleaning can shrink clothes explains why some garments still come back snug from a cleaner. If a label is missing or faded, ask a professional dry cleaner before you wash anything tailored or lined.
Laundry and dry cleaning from one pickup
OrangeBag handles both, with pickup and delivery at your door. Wash and fold goes by the bag at $2.65 per pound and comes back sorted and folded in 24 to 48 hours. Dry cleaning is priced by the piece, such as $7.95 for a shirt and $27.50 for a two-piece suit. Each order adds a $9.95 service fee and a $3.00 delivery fee.
Pack the dry cleaning separately so it can be priced by the piece. Dry cleaning isn’t currently available in San Fernando Valley, Glendale, or Silver Lake. The full OrangeBag wash and dry cleaning price list shows every item. Our Los Angeles laundry pickup page explains how the two services fit together.
Dry cleaning vs washing FAQ
Does dry cleaning use water?
Very little. Dry cleaning uses a liquid solvent in place of water, so clothes don’t soak the way they do in a washer. The FTC’s definition does allow some moisture in the solvent, up to 75% relative humidity. The finishing step uses a steam press or steam-air finishing.
Why is it called dry cleaning?
Because the clothes aren’t washed in water. The solvent is still a liquid, but the standard process the FTC describes ends with hot tumble drying at up to 160°F. Clothes come out of the machine dry, then get a steam press or steam-air finish.
Is dry cleaning better than washing for clothes?
It depends on the garment, and the label is your best guide. “Dryclean Only” means the maker has evidence that washing will damage it. Washing instructions on a label mean water is safe for that piece. On cost, our wash and fold is $2.65 per pound by the bag, while dry cleaning is priced by the piece, such as $7.95 for a shirt.
One bag for the washer, one for the cleaner
Separate the two piles, leave them at your door, and we’ll handle both. Everything comes back ready to wear or put away.
