Have you walked into a  typical dry cleaners lately? If you have, you couldn't possibly be surprised to hear that there are dangerous chemicals being used there. You can smell them when you walk through the door!

You are paying to have your finest clothing soaked in chemicals that are toxic to both you and the planet. Green dry cleaning techniques provide an excellent option in clothing care.

The Problem With Dry Cleaning

The solvent used by the majority of dry cleaners is a chemical called perchlorethylene or perc. This chemical is responsible for a long list of negative health effects from headaches to kidney damage.

The EPA has classified perc as a likely human carcinogen. Stricter regualtions are on the way, but perc has already been proven hazardous to the health of workers employed in the dry cleaning industry and to the people who live in close proximity to a dry cleaning facility.

Unfortunately, even if you aren't exposing yourself to clothing cleaned in perc, you may be exposed to it in other ways. It pollutes the air, ground and water as well. It is thought that the amount of perc in the environment at large is too small to have a negative impact on the average person’s health, but there have not been extensive studies done to prove this.

What if you mix it in with other chemicals - like pesticides or chemical additives in our food, home cleaning and personal care products? No one knows what this lovely chemical cocktail is doing to our health long term. Care to venture a guess?

Getting the chemicals out of your life is a challenge, but worth the effort. Green dry cleaning stores are beginning to pop up across the country, making going green just a little bit easier. It won't even cost you more money to do the right thing!

Green dry cleaning is completely non-toxic, it's gentler on your clothes and harmless to the environment. Green dry cleaning will eliminate the need for chemical dry cleaning entirely.

Green dry cleaning may not be available in your neighborhood just yet, but will likely open soon! While you are waiting, here are some options to dry cleaning that will help you avoid the chemical exposure and protect the health of your family and the planet.

What are the other options for caring for your sensitive fabrics? I discovered (accidentally) that many of the items marked dry clean only can be thrown in the washer with good results (try the gentle or handwash cycle). Many items will last longer if they are hand washed rather than dry cleaned.

• Hand wash as many items as possible to avoid dry cleaning. Save money and avoid the toxins!
• Use the hand wash or delicate cycle on your washing machine.
• Air out natural fabrics after wearing. Wool, for example, doesn't need to be cleaned as often.
• Ask your local cleaner to investigate and consider adding a non-perc option to their services.
• In the future, buy clothing doesn't require dry cleaning. This may not always be possible, but more designers are using natural eco-friendly fabrics that require less care. Keep an eye out for them!

If you do use traditional dry cleaning methods, be careful to air out your clothes outdoors before putting them on. If you transport them home in the car, keep your car windows open to prevent inhalation of the dry cleaning fumes.Put a little pressure on your local dry cleaners to go green. Ask them to investigate green dry cleaning possibilities!

Keep the dangerous chemicals away from your skin, and the toxins out of your home. It's only a matter of time until there is an green dry cleaning service in your area!