Dry Cleaning vs. Wet Cleaning: What to Know

The term “dry cleaning” is misleading. Your clothes do not come out dry. They come out soaked in a chemical solvent that evaporates during the process, leaving the garment clean and largely undamaged. The “dry” refers to the absence of water, not the absence of liquid.

Wet cleaning, the newer alternative, uses water and specialized detergents in computer-controlled machines that regulate temperature, agitation, and spin speed to a degree that conventional washing machines cannot match. It is a fundamentally different approach to professional garment care, and it is worth understanding both methods so you can make informed decisions about your clothes.

How Dry Cleaning Works

In a dry cleaning machine, garments are loaded into a large drum (similar to a washing machine) that fills with a liquid chemical solvent instead of water. The most common solvent is perchloroethylene, known in the industry as perc. The drum rotates, the solvent circulates through the garments, and dirt, oil, and grime dissolve into the solvent. The solvent is then drained, filtered, and recycled. The garments are tumbled in warm air to evaporate any remaining solvent. 

What Dry Cleaning Is Good At

Removing oil-based stains (grease, body oil, makeup, cooking oil). These stains dissolve readily in perc because the solvent is specifically designed to break down oils.

Cleaning structured garments that cannot tolerate water. Suit jackets, blazers, and tailored coats have internal structures (interfacing, canvas, shoulder pads) that can shrink, warp, or separate when exposed to water. Dry cleaning cleans the fabric without disturbing the construction.

Preserving delicate dyes and finishes. Some fabrics bleed, shrink, or lose their texture when exposed to water. Dry cleaning avoids these risks by keeping water out of the equation entirely.

What Dry Cleaning Is Less Good At

Removing water-based stains (coffee, wine, juice, perspiration). These stains are essentially invisible in a non-water solvent. A good dry cleaner will pretreat water-based stains before the cleaning cycle, but the solvent itself does not dissolve them.

Eliminating odors completely. Perc is effective at removing surface dirt and oil, but it does not always eliminate deep odors from perspiration or smoke. You may get a garment back that looks clean but still carries a faint odor.

Being gentle on the environment or your health. Perc is classified as a probable carcinogen. It persists in soil and groundwater. While modern dry cleaning machines are closed-loop systems that minimize exposure, trace amounts of perc remain on garments after cleaning. This is a well-documented reality, not an alarmist claim.

How Wet Cleaning Works

Professional wet cleaning uses water as the solvent, but the process bears almost no resemblance to what happens in your washing machine at home. The machines are computer-controlled to regulate water temperature within a degree, agitation speed and duration, and extraction (spin) speed. The detergents are biodegradable, pH-balanced formulations designed for specific fiber types.

After cleaning, garments are dried using specialized equipment that controls temperature, humidity, and airflow to prevent shrinkage and fiber damage. Professional wet cleaners also use finishing techniques (tensioning, pressing, steaming) that restore the garment to its original shape and drape.

What Wet Cleaning Is Good At

Removing water-based stains. Perspiration, coffee, wine, food stains, and anything water-soluble responds better to wet cleaning than dry cleaning. The water actually dissolves these stains rather than attempting to work around them.

Eliminating odors. Water is far more effective than chemical solvents at removing odor-causing residue from fabric. If you have ever gotten a dry-cleaned garment back that still smells faintly of perspiration, wet cleaning would have solved that.

Being safer for the environment and your health. No toxic solvents. Biodegradable detergents. No chemical residue on your clothes. Wet cleaning is the EPA's preferred method of professional garment care and has been endorsed by environmental agencies worldwide.

What Wet Cleaning Is Less Good At

Cleaning heavily structured garments. While modern wet cleaning has made enormous advances, very structured garments with multiple layers of interfacing and canvas (high-end suit jackets, tailored coats) still carry some risk of water-related distortion. A skilled wet cleaner can handle most structured garments, but the most conservative choice for a bespoke suit is still traditional dry cleaning.

Removing heavy oil-based stains without pretreatment. Water alone does not dissolve grease the way perc does. Wet cleaners use spotting agents and pretreatments for oil stains, which adds a step and requires more skill.

Which Method for Which Garment?

Suits and Tailored Blazers

Dry cleaning is the traditional standard and remains the safest default for heavily structured suits, particularly bespoke or canvassed construction. However, many modern suits (especially fused construction) can be wet cleaned successfully. If your dry cleaner offers wet cleaning, ask them to assess whether your specific suit can handle it.

Silk Blouses and Dresses

Wet cleaning is often the better choice for silk that does not have complex construction. Water-based cleaning is gentler on silk fibers over time than repeated exposure to perc. Always check colorfastness first. A good wet cleaner will test before processing.

Wool Sweaters and Knitwear

Wet cleaning is excellent for wool. The controlled water temperature and gentle agitation are actually kinder to wool fibers than perc, which can strip natural lanolin. Many wool garments labeled “dry clean only” can be safely wet cleaned by a professional.

Cashmere

Wet cleaning is preferable for cashmere. The fiber responds beautifully to water-based cleaning when done professionally. Hand washing at home is also an excellent option for unstructured cashmere garments.

Down Jackets and Outerwear

Wet cleaning is the better choice. Perc can strip the natural oils from down clusters and damage the waterproof coatings on technical outerwear. Water-based cleaning preserves both the loft of the down and the performance of the outer fabric.

Wedding Dresses and Formal Gowns

This depends on the construction and fabric. A silk satin gown with no beading can be wet cleaned beautifully. A heavily beaded or embellished gown is safer with dry cleaning, as some adhesives used for embellishments dissolve in water. Ask your cleaner to assess the specific garment.

Leather and Suede

Neither method. Leather and suede require specialized leather cleaning, which is a separate process entirely. Do not take leather to a standard dry cleaner. Find a cleaner that specializes in leather.

Reading the “Dry Clean Only” Label

The care label on your garment is a recommendation, not a law. When a manufacturer prints “dry clean only,” they are telling you what they have tested and verified as safe. They are not telling you it is the only safe method.

Many garments labeled “dry clean only” can be wet cleaned professionally or even hand-washed at home. The label is conservative because the manufacturer is protecting itself from liability. If a customer ruins a garment by machine washing it, the manufacturer points to the label.

That said, some garments genuinely require dry cleaning. Heavily structured suits, garments with water-sensitive dyes, pieces with delicate embellishments or glued elements. If you are unsure, ask a professional cleaner for their assessment. A good cleaner will tell you honestly whether a garment can be wet cleaned or needs dry cleaning.

Finding a Good Cleaner

Not all dry cleaners are equal, and the difference between a good cleaner and a mediocre one is significant.

What to Look For

•       A cleaner that offers both dry cleaning and wet cleaning. This means they assess each garment individually and use the appropriate method, rather than running everything through the same solvent.

•       Willingness to discuss the process. A good cleaner will explain what they plan to do with your garment and flag any risks. If they just take it without looking at it, find someone else.

•       Proper spotting and pretreatment. Stain removal happens before the cleaning cycle, not during it. A good cleaner identifies stains, determines their composition, and treats them individually before the garment goes into the machine.

•       Professional pressing and finishing. The garment should come back looking better than when you dropped it off. Proper pressing restores the drape and shape.

What to Avoid

•       Cleaners that smell strongly of chemicals when you walk in. This indicates poor ventilation and potentially outdated equipment that leaks solvent.

•       Cleaners that do not inspect garments at drop-off. Missing buttons, existing damage, and special instructions should be noted before cleaning.

•       Rock-bottom pricing. Professional garment care requires skilled labor, specialized equipment, and quality chemicals. If the price seems too low, corners are being cut.

The Cost Question

Dry cleaning is typically $5 to $15 per garment, depending on the type and your location. Wet cleaning is priced similarly, sometimes slightly higher because it requires more skill and attention per garment.

The real cost question is not per-garment pricing. It is how often you clean. Most garments do not need professional cleaning after every wear. A suit jacket worn over a dress shirt can go 3 to 5 wears between cleanings. A wool coat can go an entire season. A silk blouse worn for a few hours at dinner does not need cleaning until it is visibly soiled or carries an odor.

Overcleaning is one of the most common and expensive garment care mistakes. Every cleaning cycle, whether dry or wet, puts some stress on fibers. Clean when needed, not on a rigid schedule.

The Future of Professional Garment Care

The industry is moving toward wet cleaning. Regulatory pressure on perc is increasing worldwide. Several European countries have already banned or restricted its use. Newer dry cleaning solvents (like hydrocarbon and silicone-based alternatives) are less toxic but also less effective. Wet cleaning technology continues to improve, handling an increasingly wide range of garments safely.

For you as a consumer, this shift is positive. Wet cleaning is better for your health, better for the environment, and in many cases better for your clothes. If your current dry cleaner does not offer wet cleaning, it is worth seeking out one that does. Your wardrobe will thank you.