Green Living Tip #10 - Dry Clean Greener

                                          
Dry cleaning is a part of my life.  When you wear suits to work, it is just the way it is.  I have a few ideas on how to make your dry cleaning greener.

Those hangers.  You know...these:

                                               

These hangers are terrible and don't hold anything.  When you get home from the cleaners, transfer all of your clothes from those wire atrocities and put them on your hangers.  Then return the wire hangers to the cleaners.  By returning them to the cleaner you are keeping them out of the trash and helping to reduce the number of hangers your cleaner has to buy, which is good for the bottom line for both of you.

All that plastic.  Every time you pick up the dry cleaning it is covered in plastic like this:

                                                   

The plastic is removed by you and then thrown away.  The green way to deal with this plastic is not to deal with it at all.  Ask your dry cleaner to not use the plastic on your clothes.  As long as you don't let your clothes stay at the cleaners too long, they will not get dirty again.  If you are worried about them getting dirty, bring garment bags to the cleaner and ask them to put your clothes in your own garment bags.

The method of cleaning is also important.  There are so many green dry cleaners now.
                                                

Look on the Internet or ask your own cleaners if they are green.  There are a few ways of being green and it may involve wet cleaning or using liquid carbon dioxide or other methods. These methods reduce VOCs and are better for the environment and your own health.

Finally, the best way to find a greener dry cleaning is to avoid it as much as possible.  I try to wear my suits more than one to reduce the number of times it goes to the dry cleaner.  In between cleaning I use an at home dry cleaning system that freshens the clothes called Dryel.  You can also try to avoid buying dry clean only clothing.  When shopping, check the washing instructions and try to stay away from clothes that must go to the cleaners.  Also, some items that are delicate that you send to the cleaner, try to hand wash them at home yourself.  Many times things that you send to the cleaner can be washed at home.