Family Cleaners Ltd. Saskatoon's Only Green Garment Care Specialist

12/23/2024

HOLIDAY HOURS - HAPPY HOLIDAYS
CLOSED FROM 24TH TO THE 29TH
OPEN DEC 30TH
OPEN DEC 31ST UNTIL NOON
CLOSED JAN 1ST
JAN 2ND BACK TO REGULAR HOURS
7:30 TO 4:30 MON- FRI

12/10/2024

11/15/2021

dangers-of-perc-in-dry-cleaning
What is PERC?

PERC is short for Perchloroethylene, a colorless volatile organic solvent commonly used in dry cleaning. Although PERC is effective at dissolving stains and dirt from clothing, it also poses significant health risks if it’s not properly controlled. Since the 1930s, PERC has set the standard for cleaning performance in the industry—nearly 80% of dry cleaner in the US and Canada currently use PERC. Its effectiveness as a cleaning agent however comes with some significant downsides.

Dangers

The Environmental Protection Agency considers PERC a toxic air pollutant, meaning that it’s “known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects.”

According to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), PERC is a "potential occupational carcinogen." The National Toxicology Program has designated it as "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen," while The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has designated PERC to be a "probable human carcinogen."

It’s clear that PERC poses significant health risks. If not properly handled, PERC can pe*****te through nearly any surface, including concrete, and can even seep into groundwater. Dry cleaners are required by federal law to handle PERC as a hazardous waste, and if mishandled, the solvent poses risk to both people and the environment.

During the dry cleaning process, PERC primarily enters the body from inhalation of the vapors. Exposure to high concentrations of PERC can cause:

• Dizziness
• Headaches Loss of consciousness
• Irritated eyes, nose, mouth, throat, and respiratory tract


dangers-of-perc
While short-term exposure can cause immediate harm, the most common risk to workers at dry cleaning facilities involves long-term exposure via increased risk of cancer. PERC's most dangerous noncancer effect is nerve and brain damage.

Although the dry cleaning industry has improved the control of PERC in recent years, largely through advancements in machine design and equipment technology, PERC remains a dangerous factor not only for workers, but for the environment.

Alternatives to Perc

Although the majority of dry cleaners still use PERC, fortunately, safer and environmentally-friendly alternatives do exist. When used, these cleaning methods are just as effective at cleaning as PERC, but they often require more time, a different expertise, and different equipment which is why the majority of dry cleaners have not switched over. Supporting dry cleaners that use sustainable and safe cleaning methods will help the industry move in the right direction.

Some of the alternatives to PERC present challenges in their own right. While they may be safer for workers and less hazardous to the environment, alternatives like CO2 are not economically feasible for most mom and pop dry cleaning shops. Others options like Propylene-glycol ethers are less toxic but are highly flammable or combustible so they require extra equipment and safety precautions to be used safely.

dry-cleaning
Of the various alternative cleaning methods, the safest, most effective, and most economically feasible option is wet cleaning.

Wet cleaning uses water and soap and utilizes equipment that’s computer-controlled in order to precisely regulate the garment’s exposure to the combination of heat, water, and detergents. Since exposure to water can cause some fabrics to shrink during the cleaning process, the garments are re-shaped using specialized equipment that’s finely-tuned to safely and effectively restore garments to their original shape and size.

Another up-side to wet cleaning: the used wash water doesn’t contain dangerous chemicals or solvents and can therefore be disposed of directly down the drain. Dry cleaning with PERC requires an additional process to recover solvents before disposing of the cleaning byproducts, wet cleaning is the most energy-efficient of PERC alternatives.

dry-cleaning-alternatives
Is Your Dry Cleaner Using PERC?

Given the dangers of PERC and the availability of “greener” cleaning alternatives, it’s well worthwhile to make sure you’re not sending your garments to a dry cleaner that’s exposing people and the environment to toxic chemicals.

So next time you consider sending your clothes to a dry cleaner that may be using a known toxin and potential carcinogen, ask yourself “is this really worth it?” We believe the answer is a resounding “no”, which is why we try to make it easy for you to make the right choice for yourself and the environment.

We are Saskatoons only wet cleaning garment care specialist!

02/12/2015

This is a great video to watch. Our system is from a different Manufacturer but exactly the same premis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2z_ySLcMHk

This video highlights the main aspects and benefits of wet cleaning. It was filmed at a Professional Wet Cleaning Demonstration workshop in 2013 at Plaza Cle...

02/11/2015

Smarter Living: Chemical Index

Perchloroethylene (Tetrachloroethylene, PERC, PCE)

Used to dry-clean clothes, perchloroethylene (PERC) is a danger not only to dry-cleaning workers but also consumers who bring dry-cleaned clothes into their homes.

What Is It?

PERC is a chemical solvent used to dry clean clothes. It readily evaporates into air and has a strong, sweet odor. PERC is also used in paint st*****rs, spot removers, and other solvent-based household products. It is not to be confused with perchlorate, a rocket fuel ingredient that contaminates water supplies.

Health Concerns

PERC can harm the brain and central nervous system, damage the liver and kidneys, and is likely to cause cancer.

Of these health concerns, the best documented is PERC’s damage to the nervous system and brain. Breathing low levels of PERC can cause people to experience dizziness, sleepiness, headaches, and nausea. Inhaling large amounts of the chemical can cause people to pass out and very high amounts can be fatal. Long term or chronic exposure to PERC, even at low doses, can lead to permanent harm, including brain effects such as loss of short term memory and concentration, or central nervous system effects such as loss of muscle coordination.

Several workplace studies reported elevated risks of esophageal cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and cervical cancer in people exposed occupationally. PERC is linked to cancers in rodent studies, including leukemia, liver, and kidney cancer. The U.S. National Toxicology Program lists PERC as “may reasonably be anticipated to be a human carcinogen” in the Report on Carcinogens. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) lists it as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”

Exposure

PERC lingers in recently dry-cleaned clothing and slowly escapes into your car and home. It is characterized by a sharp, sweet odor. PERC has been detected in apartments above dry-cleaning facilities.

The chemical may also be found in consumer products such as adhesives, spot removers, correction fluid, and wood cleaners. You may also come into contact with PERC if you work in an industry that produces chemicals or rubber coatings, degreases metal tools, or makes textiles.

Because PERC has been widely used in dry-cleaning facilities and other industries throughout towns and cities, and because business owners sometimes dumped PERC into sewer systems or backyards, drinking water contamination may be a concern in some water supplies. The federal Safe Drinking Water Act requires municipal water systems to monitor for PERC and keep levels low, but people who drink water from wells should have their water tested if they suspect contamination.

Stay Safe

One of the easiest ways to avoid PERC is by choosing alternatives to dry-cleaning your clothes. Be aware, however, that some non-PERC dry-cleaners use alternatives, sometimes called “hydrocarbon” treatments, that are also toxic.

Instead of dry-cleaning, look for stores that advertise wet-cleaning, an alternative form of washing and drying that is safe for most clothing. Another good option, but less available, is CO2 cleaning, which uses liquid carbon dioxide to clean clothes. Check the Pollution Control Center site at Occidental College for wet-cleaners and CO2 cleaners near you. Another resource is the National Clearing House for Professional Wet Cleaners.

Airing out recently dry-cleaned clothes can reduce your family’s exposure to PERC, but it doesn’t help reduce the use of this toxic chemical

03/11/2014

Hear from a consumers perspective why she chose a certified green dry cleaner. She explains what she discovers during her research into the differences in th...

03/10/2014

Strange but what is said about perclorethylene is true

"A wolf in dry-cleaned clothing, working overtime to ravage your health" Interview with Perchloroethylene, nominated for Worst Workplace Drama at the 2012 To...

03/02/2014

It has to warm up sometime, RIGHT! For the month of March take 40% off all Jackets (including leather not suede), Coats, Comforters, anything you used to keep from freezing to death. We will even pick up and deliver for this special, so don't miss out!
Just mention FB add.