Does Dry Cleaning Remove Stains?

Yes, dry cleaning can remove most stains from most garments but there are no guarantees. Stain treatments depend on the type of stain, the type of fabric, and how long the stain has been there. 

Let’s find out what dry cleaning service providers consider when they take your job order. What if you received your garments only to find new stains? We'll also explain what may have caused any new stains that may not have been there before dry cleaning.

How Does Dry Cleaning Remove Stains?

Professional dry cleaners use special solvents that treat stains without damaging the fabric. The process involves a dry cleaning machine that doesn’t use water. Instead, it uses the solvent to lift dirt and dissolves oils and grease. It may solve most stains that regular wash can’t handle.

Kinds of Stains Accepted at the Dry Cleaners

Dry cleaning can be used to remove a wide variety of stains, including:

Do not attempt to clean “dry clean only” garments that are oil stained. Household cleaners will only ruin your favorite velvet or silk dress.

You may do more harm than good on oil or oil-based sources like petroleum jelly, lotion, and hair care products. Instead, head on to the dry cleaners to have them professionally cleaned.

Food stains like ketchup, mustard, and chocolate can soil clothes. Wine and coffee stains can also do some damage. You can treat them at home with the right cleaners and if you act fast enough.

It’s a different conversation if the stains set on your tuxedo, your satin garments, or any of your expensive clothes. You’ll be spending less by having it professionally cleaned now rather than sending it later after you’ve done home remedies.

You can get dye stains when you do a home remedy such as applying alcohol on ink stains. When this happens, you’ll have a stain and irreversible damage to your fabric. Better send it to the dry cleaners instead.

For paint accidents on special garments, scrape that paint off using a spoon or the back of a knife. Then take it to the dry cleaners as soon as possible.

Pet stains like urine may look manageable at first. That’s until it sets on the fabric and acids from the urine damage it. 

Smoke stains can be in the form of yellow nicotine with some black residues on your garment fabric. It may also leave a hard-to-remove strong odor. It may be due to the nicotine and its vapors mixing with your sweat stains and skincare products.