Dry Cleaning is toxic to Teddies

Erika came back from Taiwan with hubby and her favourite Flat Out teddy got dirty and it was dry cleaned.  However, it came back with a DREADFUL chemical smell, and it was VERY strong.

So I rinsed it, but that didn't alter the smell.  Then I washed it with my normal clothes - the smell was still strong.  So I did a rinse and a soak with eucalyptus wash but that didn't budge the smell.  So now I am soaking it in my Rockin' Green nappy powder and see if that makes a difference, but I lifted it out of the bucket after 1 hour and the smell is still there.

So what is that smell?

I didn't know this but Dry Cleaning is done with a petroleum solvent.  In the old days it was done with Kerosene or Gasoline.  These days they use perchloroethylene.  It's dry in the sense that you don't use water.

So they wash the clothes in this solvent and then the solvent is recovered in an extractor so it can be reused.

I got this from Ravefabricare:

One reason your clothes will smell of dry cleaning solvent is if your cleaner shortens the dry and deodorize cycle on his dry cleaning machine.


This often happens at ordinary cleaners where the pressure to "get the garments out" (i.e., into a machine, onto a press and into a bag) is constant and hectic.


But more likely than not, you're not smelling dry cleaning solvent or fluid. You're smelling contaminants in the dry cleaning solvent or fluid.


Let me explain.


Garments and household textiles should always be cleaned in dry cleaning fluid that's both continuously purified and continuously filtered. Every single drop. This way your garments and household textiles are cleaned in dry cleaning solvent or fluid that's absolutely crystal clear. As clear as bottled mountain spring water.  Continuous purification is much like boiling your tap water at home to obtain pure water; continuous filtration is much like filtering your tap water to remove any additional impurities.


Fact is, crystal clear, freshly purified and filtered dry cleaning solvent or fluid is your only guarantee against greyish and dingy whites, creams and pastels; dull and faded colors; and that all-to-familiar "dry cleaning solvent smell."


It's the difference between a black and white TV with mono sound and a high definition screen with surround sound.  Unfortunately, very few ordinary cleaners both continuously purify every single drop of their dry cleaning solvent or fluid before and after each load, and continuously filter every single drop of their dry cleaning solvent or fluid during each load.


So soluble impurities, such as bacteria, residual dyes, body oils, oily-type creams and lotions, and food fats accumulate in the dry cleaning solvent or fluid. And insoluble impurities, such as sand, skin flakes and hair, float around in the dry cleaning solvent or fluid.  These soluble impurities are then absorbed by the fibers of your garments and household textiles during the dry cleaning "wash" cycle. In particular, natural fibers, such as silk, wool, linen and cotton, absorb these impurities like a sponge absorbs liquid. 


Instead of your cleaner continuously purifying and continuously filtering his dry cleaning solvent or fluid, your garments and household textiles are functioning as your cleaner's "cleaning filter."  In effect, your garments and household textiles are being cleaned in "dirty dry cleaning solvent or fluid." It's just like washing your clothes at home and reusing the same dirty water over and over again.


So, what you're smelling is probably not dry cleaning solvent or fluid. It's the accumulated contaminants in your garments and household textiles that you're smelling -- contaminants absorbed from your cleaner's "dirty dry cleaning solvent or fluid."

OK GROSS.  So my daughter's teddy is now absorbed all the crap and filth from all this dry cleaning.  I am in a good mind to throw the teddy out.  The thought of the chemicals and dirt that's now stuck in it makes my stomach lurch.

From now on, if I can help it, NOTHING is going to get dry cleaned.  I think it would be much better done at home with water.  Ugh.

In the meantime, I will see how Teddy goes.  If I can salvage Teddy I will be pleased.