Dry cleaning is not considered an environmentally friendly practice, because of the widespread use of the chemical perchloroethylene (also called perc). According to the Occidental College’s Pollution Prevention Center, 85 percent of the more than 35,000 dry cleaners in the US still use this harmful chemical, which is used as a solvent in the dry cleaning process. Studies have shown that workers exposed to perc routinely either through inhalation or skin contact are at a much higher risk for adverse health affects. Perc has been linked to increased risks of bladder, esophageal, and cervical cancer, eye, nose, throat and skin irritation, and reduced fertility, among other effects.

Even bringing clothes cleaned with perc back to your home exposes you to the dangerous chemical, because once home and out of the bag, the toxin is released into the air. Because of this having your closed cleaned in the conventional manner is not advised. Read below for information on alternatives to conventional dry cleaning and tips for greener dry cleaning.

Here are some tips and ideas for how to make your dry cleaning more environmentally friendly.

• First of all decide if your item of clothing really needs to be dry cleaned. Some of your "dry clean only" items like silk, wool and rayons can actually be washed by hand. Many delicate items can be washed at home by hand without all the chemicals. You can also take your piece of clothing to the cleaners to just be pressed without being cleaned to get that crisp professional pressing.
• If you really must take have your clothes professionally cleaned, ideally you want to find a cleaner who specializes in Wet or Liquid CO₂ cleaning, which is much more environmentally friendly.
• If your dry cleaning service provides cloth bags to hang your clothes for travel - use them. While the plastic bags used to cover clothes are recyclable, it's much better to eliminate them completely.
• Return your hangers to the cleaner. Unless you actually need or use them, these hangers are still in good condition and can be reused many more times.