Do Dry Cleaners Press Clothes? (Everything You Need To Know)

There are certain clothes which you cannot wash with water as they might get damaged. That is when Dry Cleaning comes in handy, which helps to clean the clothes without hampering their clothes. Some people always prefer to wear pressed clothes without wrinkles. But, Do Dry Cleaners Press Clothes?

Most dry cleaners do not press clothes, while some dry cleaners press the clothes as a complimentary service. You might also come across some dry cleaners who will not offer to press the clothes. You might have the option to ask them to press the cloth, but it might require an extra charge. 

This article is focused on giving you an overall idea about the Dry Cleaning process. You will also get information regarding press clothes services. Lastly, we will get to know about various tricks and tactics used by the cleaners for Dry Cleaning, Laundry, and Pressing clothes. 

So, what are you waiting for? Let us begin.

What Is Dry Cleaning?

Dry Cleaning is the process where dirty Laundry is cleaned just by using a chemical solvent that may contain little or no water. Dry Cleaning prevents the fabric from stretching or shrinking. There are some Dry cleaners that offer wet Cleaning for washable items. 

However, Dry Cleaning is time-efficient and can be very effective in cleaning and protecting sensitive clothes. It was the Roman times when people used ammonia in order to clean woolen togas so that the wool could be saved from shrinking. 

It was a matter of time then people started using petroleum-based solvents. But later, it was discovered that it is highly flammable and can be hazardous. Later, people began using perchloroethylene for dry Cleaning. 

Perchloroethylene or perc came out to be the effective one, and still, people use it for the same purpose. But it is also harmful to human health as it can cause cancer. 

After proper evolution, people now have moved toward water-free chemical solvent which is safe for human health. Now people use hydrocarbon, silicon, liquid CO2, and other green solvents.

What Is Press-Only Laundry?

Press-only laundry indicates the service where you will only have the option of getting your wrinkled clothes ironed. It is common to get the regularly used clothes to get wrinkled after every wash. 

Sometimes people store their clothes in the closet in a very unorganized manner which might also make the clothes lose their original shape and make it all wrinkled. 

In most cases, people want to skip the phase where they have to press their clothes all by themselves, so they give it to Laundry to get the press-only service. There is also a group of people who usually wash their dirty Laundry all by themselves and seek help from an expert to press the clothes. 

Is Dry Cleaning The Same As Pressing?

The truth is there is nothing common between Dry Cleaning and Pressing clothes. However, both are a process to make the clothes look almost like a new one. 

Dry Cleaning refers to a process where little or no water is used to clean the dirty Laundry. However, in this case, various chemical fluids are used. There are certain types of clothes that should be kept away from water; as a result, dry Cleaning can be the only option for them.

These types of clothes like wool and silk can become rigid or get shrink with the touch of water. Dry Cleaning can also help you to get any stubborn stain out of it. The Dry Cleaning process contains a phase where it does the ‘pre-spotting’ to get the spot out of it. 

The Dry Cleaning process also does not affect the clothes; rather, do not let the color fade away. These are the reasons that you will find some clothes labeled as ‘Dry Cleaning Only’.  

On the other hand, Pressing is a process where a hot iron is pressed back and forth over cleaned clothes to get them to their original shape. It is common for the clothes to lose their original shape and get wrinkled after the wash. 

Pressing helps the clothes regain their original shape so that it looks great once you wear them. Whereas the cleaning process can be done with many clothes at once, Pressing needs to be done individually. 

Many Dry Cleaners keep the Pressing Step as a complementary to the service where a giant iron is used. After the wash, the clothes are first steamed and then pressured adequately to make them look perfect. 

What Do Dry Cleaners Use To Press Clothes?

Pressing a piece of cloth can be the same task to accomplish, but you need to pay attention to details. You cannot keep the temperature high; use more or less water. A simple mistake can make you lose your favorite piece of clothing.

It is one of the main reasons for getting clothes pressed by the professionals. If you are thinking the process the professionals or dry cleaners use is a very complicated one, let me tell you that it is not. 

In large organizations, they simply use a large-size iron where the clothes are laid to get steamed and pressed. However, there is an organization that follows the traditional method of pressing the clothes. 

In the traditional way, a regular-sized iron is used to press the clothes. They use a spray bottle filled with fresh water to spray some before pressing. For some clothes, a protective layer is placed on top of the cloth so that the heat of the iron does not touch the cloth directly. 

Mostly cotton fabric or synthetic mesh is used to protect the sensitive fabric from the direct heat of the iron. Nowadays, in the market, you can also find iron which stores water and stream water at the time of pressing so that the exact amount of water is used. 

What Are Launder And Press?

Launder, and Press indicates the place where the clothes are first finely cleaned and then pressed individually. In the cleaning phase, water and definite laundry detergent are used. You will also see them using a commercial-grade washing machine for the perfect Cleaning. 

Here harmful chemicals are not used as they can deteriorate the quality of the fabric over time. Laundering can help you get rid of the regular stains and grime just by using mild detergents and water. 

However, remember not all fabric can be laundered. Some need only a dry cleaning facility. You will find the dress label to know if it is washable or not. In case you find ‘Dry Cleaning Only’ written on it, do not put them in a washing machine. 

Most of the laundry services come with the laundry and press service come with Laundry and press service, and it is much cheaper than the Dry Cleaning service. 

Does Dry Clean Include Ironing?

Dry Cleaning plays a huge role in protecting the clothes from deep washing techniques and preventing them from shrinking or stretching. It makes the dress in its perfect shape after the cleaning process.

However, some of the clothes might still require ironing. The Dry Cleaner service includes the Pressing as a complimentary service most of the time. However, sometimes you might need to pay an extra charge to get the service. 

Related Questions:

What Is The Difference Between Dry Cleaning And Laundering?

The main difference between Dry Cleaning and Laundering is that the first one uses little or no water, and the latter uses an adequate amount of water to soak the clothes and wash them.

There are certain fabrics that should not come in contact with water but rather should be cleaned without a single drop of water. These types of fabrics require a dry cleaning service. With the help of certain chemicals, the clothes are cleaned within a short time span. 

On the flip side, laundering requires a great amount of water and appropriate detergent, which are put together in a washing machine along with the clothes. It requires more time than dry Cleaning but will give better results. 

Does Dry Clean Only Mean No Ironing?

No, Dry Clean does not mean any ironing. Dry Cleaning can possibly mean no use of water as the dry cleaning process might require no or little water. However, you might get your clothes ironed even after dry cleaning. 

What Is The Difference Between Ironing And Pressing?

In a generic view, ironing and Pressing can be referred to as the same thing as both things indicate reshaping the clothes into their original shape and folding appropriately to get rid of any wrinkles. 

Nonetheless, ironing is often referred to at home, and commercially it is more commonly called Pressing. Both require iron and steam to get rid of the wrinkles of clean and fresh clothes.  

Sifatul Shohan

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