Using water as the washing agent, like what most of us do in our homes, is termed wet cleaning. Legend has it that dry cleaning was discovered accidentally in France during the late 1800's when someone spilled turpentine on a tablecloth with set-in stains and every stain the turpentine touched came clean. Thus, the idea of "dry cleaning" fabric in a liquid other than water was born.

Turpentine and other petroleum-based solvents used in early dry cleaning were flammable at relatively low temperatures and gave off vapors that were dangerous to breathe. These two issues remain of concern with most of today's dry cleaning fluids. In the 1950's, perchloroethylene (or perc) was introduced as a "safer" alternative because it had no flash point, eliminating fire hazard. It rapidly became the industry's solvent of choice. For decades, dry cleaners used and disposed of perc without concern. Then in the 1970's and 1980's, perc's serious health and environmental risks came to light. Many regulatory and industry safeguards were introduced, but it was too late. Contamination from unsafe practices had already taken place, costing the dry cleaning industry a great deal of money and deeply staining its reputation.

Environmentalists, scientists, politicians, health professionals, regulators and customers, everyone agrees. We have no alternative but to find a safe alternative to perc. California has not only banned it, it has banned the purchase of machines that use it. And while they may have been the first state to do so, they likely won't be the last.

GreenEarth is the solution the industry has been waiting for.

Simply put, GreenEarth is a better way to dry clean. Our process is non-hazardous and non-toxic to the environment. Liquid silicone is essentially liquified sand. The same natural sand the earth has been creating for over six billion years. When released to the environment, silicone safely breaks down into the three natural elements it is made from: sand (SiO2) and trace amounts of water and carbon dioxide. So GreenEarth is safe for the air, water and soil.

GreenEarth is safe for people too. If you wanted to, you could safely rub it on your skin. In fact you probably already do. Liquid silicone is the base ingredient in many everyday shampoos, conditioners and lotions.

Dry cleaners love cleaning with GreenEarth because it is an effective green cleaning method that doesn't cost more than traditional dry cleaning systems. Because clothes cleaned the GreenEarth way aren't bathed in perc or other petrochemical solvents, they come back fresh and clean without unpleasant "dry cleaning" odor. But we're not just gentle on your nose. We're gentle on your clothes, too. You can actually see and feel the difference it makes. Colors won't fade and whites won't gray or yellow, even after repeated cleaning. Everything feels better too. Fabrics are smooth and silky, and sweaters feel soft and supple again.

There's a scientific reason why clothes look and feel better with GreenEarth.

Liquid silicone is chemically inert, meaning it doesn't chemically react with fabric fibers. It just carries the detergent to your clothes and gently carries away the dirt and oil. It also is very light in weight and has a very low surface tension, allowing it to gently penetrate fabric fibers and rinse away dirt in a way that water or perc cannot. So it cleans without being abrasive or aggressive, leaching dyes or damaging trims. That's why it is such a safe and effective green cleaner for even the most delicate garments--beads, delicate lace, silk, cashmere, you name it--with GreenEarth, there's nothing to worry about. And, unlike many other cleaning methods, GreenEarth won't cause shrinkage.

Dry cleaning you
can feel good about.

A video story about why the GreenEarth cleaning process is better for the earth, better for your clothes, better for you.

The GreenEarth solution is pure liquid silicone, essentially liquified sand. We use no hazardous chemicals. So there's nothing to dirty the air, contaminate the soil or pollute the water.