The Benefits of Eco-Friendly Dry Cleaning
If you've ever picked up a garment from a traditional dry cleaner and noticed a sharp chemical smell, that's perchloroethylene — commonly known as "perc." For decades, perc was the standard dry cleaning solvent used across the industry. Today, we know it's a probable human carcinogen, a persistent environmental contaminant, and a regulated substance in California. Many Los Angeles dry cleaners have moved away from it, but not all.
At Sterling Fine Cleaning, we made the switch to eco-friendly liquid silicone cleaning years ago — and the difference for our clients' garments, and for the environment, is significant. Here's what you should know.
What Is Traditional "Perc" Dry Cleaning?
Perchloroethylene (PCE or "perc") is a synthetic chemical solvent that has been used in dry cleaning since the 1930s. It's highly effective at dissolving oils and greases without using water — which is why it became the industry standard. But its health and environmental profile is deeply problematic.
The California Air Resources Board and the EPA classify perc as a likely human carcinogen. Long-term exposure has been linked to liver and kidney damage, neurological effects, and increased cancer risk. California has been phasing out perc-based dry cleaning equipment since 2007 and has set a full elimination deadline.
Garments cleaned with perc often retain trace amounts of the solvent, which off-gasses slowly at home — which is why that "dry cleaning smell" lingers on freshly cleaned clothes.
What Is Liquid Silicone Dry Cleaning?
Liquid silicone (also known as GreenEarth® cleaning) uses a silicone-based solvent called cyclopentasiloxane (D5) instead of perc. D5 is the same base ingredient found in many skin care and hair care products — it's colorless, odorless, non-toxic, and non-hazardous.
When released into the environment, D5 breaks down into sand, water, and carbon dioxide — leaving no persistent residue in soil or groundwater. It's been independently certified as environmentally safe by multiple regulatory agencies, and it produces no harmful air emissions during the cleaning process.
Benefits for Your Garments
Beyond the environmental advantages, liquid silicone is genuinely better for your clothes:
Gentler on fabrics: Perc can degrade fabric fibers and elastic over time, causing garments to feel stiff or look dull after repeated cleaning. Liquid silicone is much gentler, preserving the softness, drape, and color vibrancy of delicate fabrics like silk, cashmere, and wool.
No chemical odor: Garments cleaned with liquid silicone come back smelling fresh and neutral — no harsh solvent smell that requires airing out before wearing.
Better color preservation: The neutral pH of liquid silicone is less likely to cause dye bleeding or color shifting in vibrant or dark garments.
Safe for embellishments: Liquid silicone won't dissolve or damage the adhesives used in beading, sequins, and other garment embellishments the way perc sometimes can.
Benefits for Los Angeles and the Environment
Los Angeles has some of the strictest environmental regulations in the country — and for good reason. The city has long struggled with air quality issues, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from traditional dry cleaning contribute to ground-level ozone formation.
Liquid silicone produces virtually no VOC emissions. Our cleaning process generates no hazardous waste and requires no special disposal procedures. The solvent is fully recaptured and recycled within our closed-loop system, meaning essentially nothing is released into the environment.
For environmentally conscious Los Angeles residents — and there are many — this matters. Choosing Sterling Fine Cleaning means your garment care isn't contributing to the city's air quality challenges.
How to Know If Your Dry Cleaner Uses Eco-Friendly Methods
Ask directly: "Do you use perchloroethylene?" A responsible cleaner should be able to tell you exactly what solvent they use. Look for certifications like GreenEarth® or mentions of liquid CO2 or wet cleaning as alternatives to perc. If a cleaner can't tell you what they clean with, that's a red flag.
Sterling Fine Cleaning is happy to explain our process in detail to any client who asks. Transparency about our methods is something we consider part of the service.
Eco-Friendly Dry Cleaning with Free Pickup in Los Angeles
Sterling Fine Cleaning serves Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Century City, Westwood, Bel Air, and surrounding Los Angeles communities with eco-friendly dry cleaning, shirt laundering, alterations, and wedding gown care. We offer free pickup and delivery across LA — no minimums, no extra charges.
Schedule your free pickup online or call any of our five Los Angeles locations. Your clothes deserve better than perc.