The Origin of Dry Cleaning

Dry cleaning (or dry-cleaning) is any cleaning process for clothing and textiles using an organic solvent rather than water. The solvent used is typically tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene), abbreviated “perc” in the industry and “dry-cleaning fluid” by the public. Dry cleaning is necessary for cleaning items that would otherwise be damaged by water and soap or detergent. It is often used instead of hand washing delicate fabrics, which can be excessively laborious. – “Wikipedia”.

The discovery of the process and the existence of the first dry cleaning firm can be traced back to the early 19th Century. The first dry cleaning firm in history was opened by Jolly-Belin in Paris in the 1840’s. A French dye-works owner, Jean Baptiste Jolly, is credited for accidentally discovering the dry cleaning process. It is said that Jolly once noticed that his table cloth looked much cleaner after his maid accidentally spilled kerosene on it. Since then, Dry Cleaning has transformed into a flourishing sector with major industries using its services.