Putting the Green in Dry Cleaning

Dry cleaning has a bit of a dirty past. And we’re part of it. Obeying the orders on the tags of our fancier clothing, we would hand over those silk and rayon items and watch as they were whisked away on a conveyor belt to encounter who-knows-what chemicals which would be disposed of in who-knows-which manner. Scary stuff, but you can’t have a wardrobe entirely consisting of wash-and-dry cotton, can you? And so, for those garments that simply refused to be cleaned with plain old soap and water, we made an environmental concession.  

But the dry cleaning industry has not escaped the green movement. There are plenty of dry cleaning businesses now declaring themselves eco-friendly. In a business dependent on the use of chemicals, though, how exactly can they make this claim? 

Well, for , it’s relatively easy, given that the business uses no chemicals at all, dry cleaning with liquid CO2. Many dry cleaning businesses make green claims, but there are different shades of green. (For example, many environmentally minded cleaners use hydrocarbon or silicone solvents, which are considerably milder than perc though not completely free of toxins.)

“We are the only ones in the state of Minnesota that truly are toxin-free in our cleaning process,” Ashley Ammermann, director of retail marketing at Mulberrys, said. 

, the self-described “greener cleaner,” has been around since 1952. In 2006, it phased out the traditional dry cleaning chemical perc in favor of hydrocarbon and wet cleaning. In addition to the environmental benefits, this switch brought Edina Cleaners’ annual dry cleaning solvent bill down from some $30,000 to just $1,000.  

Edina Cleaners does still uses perc for more difficult stains like lipstick or food grease, however, and owner Lee Stotts claims the solvent really doesn’t deserve the bad rap it’s gotten. Stotts says perc has been an undeserving political punching bag and–because it’s used in a closed system–is actually completely safe. He chose to largely abandon perc at Edina Cleaners because of public perception and cost. 

Both Edina Cleaners and Mulberrys use Ecolab detergent, which Stotts describes as “ridiculously forward-facing in terms of environmental pursuits.”

As to Mulberrys claiming the title of greenest cleaner, Stotts isn’t arguing.

“That’s actually true,” Stotts said. “Their CO2 process is truly the cleanest or environmentally friendliest of all cleaning forms.”

After all, Stotts said, “I don’t claim to be the greenest cleaner; I claim to be the greener cleaner.”

Plus, there are more facets to green dry cleaning than just the solvents used. Edina Cleaners uses a Segway dubbed the ECO (Edina Cleaners Orbit) for home delivery as much as possible to cut down on gas consumption. It reuses 100 percent of its hangers and recycles its rinse water. Edina Cleaners also has solar panels on its roof and, on its website, the business welcomes suggestions for ways to go greener.

Stotts said that even if he was still using perc full time, he would put his environmental efforts up against any others in the dry cleaning industry. 

There are a number of dry cleaning businesses in Edina and a growing trend in the green direction. For example, is also working to introduce more environmentally friendly practices to its business and is a member of the Green Cleaners Council. If you don’t know what steps your preferred cleaner is taking, ask. Be sure you can add laundry to the list of your own eco-friendly choices.