Dry Cleaning Vs Wet Cleaning — What’s The Real Difference — And Why Modern Solvent Matters

When it comes to professional garment care, two major methods dominate: dry cleaning and wet cleaning.

Each has its place, but many factory owners, laundry shops, and garment-care professionals still wonder: 

Which method is better? 

Understanding the difference helps you choose smarter — especially if you care about fabric quality, 

efficiency, and compliance.

What is Wet Cleaning?

• Wet cleaning uses water + specialized biodegradable detergents in computer-controlled machines,

  with careful temperature, moisture, and mechanical action control. 

• It excels at removing water-soluble stains — like sweat, food, drink spills — and avoids chemical solvents

  entirely, making it friendly to consumers concerned about chemical exposure. 

• That said, water causes natural fibers (wool, silk, cotton, etc.) to swell or stretch, risking shrinkage,

  loss of shape, or weakening of structure. 

• Wet-cleaning works best for certain garments, but for structured clothes (suits, blended fabrics, leather, lace, etc.),

  the risks increase. Additional drying and pressing are needed — which prolongs processing time and raises labor cost. 

  
  

⚠️ Bottom line: Wet cleaning is eco-friendly and chemical-free — but not always suitable for delicate, structured,

       or oil/grease-stained clothes.

What is Dry Cleaning?

• Traditional dry cleaning uses chemical solvents, not water. Garments are immersed in the solvent inside

  a special machine, which dissolves oils, grease, and stains without swelling fibers.

• Solvent-based cleaning excels at oil-based stains, grease, wax, resins — stains water and detergent can’t touch. 

• It’s ideal for delicate fabrics (wool, silk, cashmere), tailored suits, leather items, and garments with structure

  — preserving cut, shape, and finish without shrinkage. 

• Historically, many dry cleaners used a solvent called PERC (perchloroethylene), but due to toxicity and

  environmental hazards, it’s increasingly restricted or banned. 

• That’s why the industry has shifted toward modern petroleum-based (hydrocarbon) or low-toxicity

  solvents that are less aggressive but still effective.

  
  

⚠️ Dry cleaning offers powerful cleaning with minimal fabric risk — but solvent safety, odor, environmental impact, 

       and regulatory compliance must be managed carefully.

Hydrocarbon Dry Cleaning Solvent — A Balanced Modern Solution

If you run a dry-cleaning shop or laundry factory, switching to advanced hydrocarbon solvents offers several advantages:

• Effective oil/grease stain removal — better than water or detergent alone.

• Fabric-safe cleaning — no swelling, shrinkage or distortion for delicate and structured garments.

• Lower toxicity & better compliance than traditional PERC — especially with properly distilled, filtered solvents.

• Cost-effective for high-volume operations — solvent can be recycled and reused for many cycles, reducing per-load cost.

• Wider compatibility — suitable for a variety of fabrics: wool, silk, synthetics, leather, blends, tailored garments.

  
  

Our S-12 series, for example, is a high-purity hydrocarbon dry-cleaning solvent designed for modern garment care facilities.

It balances cleaning power, fabric protection, odor control, and compliance — making it an ideal solution for global 

dry-cleaning shops, garment factories, uniform suppliers, and textile processors.

✅ When to Use What: Quick Guide

Ready to Upgrade Your Laundry Workflow?

If you operate a laundry factory, dry-clean shop, garment production line or uniform cleaning facility — and want 

a solvent that cleans effectively, protects fabrics, reduces odor and waste, and meets modern compliance 

standards — reach out to us.

We supply S-12 hydrocarbon dry-cleaning solvent — bulk packaging, OEM/ODM available, global shipping supported.

Contact us today to get a free sample pack + full technical data sheet (TDS & MSDS) and test in your workflow.