Dry cleaning

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Dry cleaning is any cleaning process for clothing and textiles using a solvent other than water. Clothes are instead soaked in a water-free liquid solvent (usually non-polar, as opposed to water which is a polar solvent). Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene), known in the industry as "perc", is the most commonly used solvent, although alternative solvents such as 1-bromopropane, hydrocarbons, and supercritical CO₂ are also used.

Most natural fibers can be washed in water but some synthetics (e.g., viscose, lyocell, modal, and cupro) react poorly with water and should be dry cleaned if possible.^[1]