Why Do My Clothes Still Smell After Dry Cleaning?
77% of British adults love the smell of freshly washed laundry. There is nothing quite like that perfumed aroma for representing calm and a new start. You may be surprised to hear that dry cleaning offers a different olfactic treat due to the method of cleaning that is undertaken.
Despite the confusion around the smell of clothing, dry cleaners are still in high demand. In fact, the dry cleaning market is worth approximately $60.88 billion globally!
At Love2Laundry, we are experts in all things clothing, so we often get asked how dry cleaners work. With 75% of our emotions generated from scents, our customers also commonly enquire about the aroma of the service.
Continue reading to find out our advice on the topic and to learn how you can say goodbye to unwanted scents.
Does Dry Cleaning Remove Odours?
Dry cleaning is a traditional garment treatment method which involves a waterless way of cleaning items. The process has been used for many years to treat certain stains and delicate fabrics that would not survive the traditional washing machine process. A mixture of chemicals and industrial machinery is used to achieve the results, so you should not attempt to do dry cleaning at home.
We often get asked if dry cleaning will remove cigarette smells and other tough-to-treat aromas. The answer to this is not entirely straightforward. This is because it depends on the smell in question and the process your chosen company offers. Dry cleaning works by undertaking a waterless form of washing that instead uses different chemicals and combined reactions to remove stains and freshen up fabrics. This is why dry cleaning professionals must have years of training, as the process requires an accurate knowledge of how different treatments will work.
Dry cleaning provides a deep clean, with the machines and chemicals treating material fibres at their core to offer a complete cleanse. This means that all germs and dirt build-up is removed. Odours are made up of either a dirt or oil-based stain that clings to materials. Dry cleaning alone is not often enough to remove these scents because they are embedded into items.
You can remove odours via dry cleaning if a pre-treatment is carried out. This is the process we follow at Love2Laundry on all fabrics suitable for other forms of washing. As some stains and odours will need a water-based element to dislodge the problem, treating the affected area before being placed into the dry cleaning machine is common practice.
What Do Dry Cleaned Clothes Smell Like?
As you will likely now understand, the difference between a dry cleaner and a launderette is that washing clothing uses a water-based method in which artificially scented products can be used.
Dry cleaning is a more complex method that relies upon prior-tested chemical collaborations to treat items using heat and movement. This means that dry-cleaned clothes don’t have the same floral, fresh, or fruity aroma that you may choose from at-home washing.
Instead, dry-cleaned items can be left with a neutral, if not slightly, chemical smell, which does fade over time. It should be pointed out that even though items don’t have the same scent that you commonly associate with items being clean, they are, in fact, in much better condition than if they had been washed. While the scent of washing products may be pleasing to the nose, sometimes it just covers up the remaining dirt on your items.
How Can You Change the Smell of Dry Cleaned Clothing?
Even though we have mentioned that dry cleaned fabrics may not have the scent that you are expecting, there are methods you can follow to amend the aroma. Our preferred methods are as follows:
Fabric Freshening Products
The fabric freshener market size is set to be worth $3.4 billion by 2032. People love adding perfume to their clothing and household items suitable for use on all fabrics. Whether you want to evoke memories of a warm summer’s day, a tropical escape, or even a bakery, there is something out there for every desire!
There is no reason dry cleaned clothing cannot be treated with the same sprays. We would not recommend this only if items are dry clean as this indicates that the items need to be treated more gently.
Ventilate Clothing Post Clean
Simply leaving your dry cleaned items to absorb some fresh air is enough of a treatment to remove unwanted chemical scents. By hanging up your items near a window, the clean air will flow through each of the tiny fibres, eliminating any remaining scents.
This does not work if items still retain a nasty aroma, as that shows that the issue still needs to be treated on a deeper level.
Treat With Vinegar
If your items still have a scent you dislike, you could treat them with white vinegar. Known for its neutralising properties, a light spray in the affected areas can lighten scents and counterbalance the smell.
Just like if you are using vinegar to treat a stain, you should always read the label and research the fabric you are treating.
What Smells Can Dry Cleaning Not Remove?
As we have mentioned, dry cleaning cannot remove all sents.
The main aroma that is hard to remove is perspiration, as sweat includes many long-lasting oils which cling to fabric. Any oil-based scent will need a pre-treatment to loosen the oils using water to activate certain chemicals.
This means that if an unwanted smell like sweat is absorbed into dry-clean-only items, it could be a tough task. This can also be true for other oil-based scents such as cigarettes, cigars, paints, and petrol. It is always worth speaking with your dry cleaners if you need help treating the smell, as they can advise the best course of action.
All dry-cleaned items also go through a thorough sorting process to ensure each item is treated with the care and attention required. During this stage, the cleaning professional will be able to identify any smelly items and figure out how best to clean them.
How Does Love2laundry Tackle the Problem?
We can’t lie; our team loves tough-to-clean items as it allows them to shine! The value that this kind of cleaning offers quickly answers the question of whether or not dry cleaning at home is cheaper. Our approach to tackling tricky items shows the value we can offer customers.
Our process for treating harsh aromas includes the following:
- All dry-cleaned items go through a pre-treatment and assessment process to gain a full understanding of the issue. We then create a unique plan for sorting and ensure that every item receives targeted attention. This also means that smelly items are never mixed with other products which could result in a scent transmission.
- We use only the best industrial-standard machines and chemicals which have proven results. All items are also eco-friendly, as we hold environmental sustainability in high regard as one of our core values.
- Our website and app are also really simple to use, allowing people to add comments about their items when an order is placed. You can also contact our friendly team if you have concerns about a scent-affected piece of clothing.
- Our pricing is also always fair, with items costing what is advertised, even if extra cleaning is required. Some providers will use that as an excuse to up the price but offering a fair service is what we pride ourselves on.
Do you want to test our dry cleaning service for yourself? You can receive 20% off of your first order to give you a fair opportunity of seeing what dry cleaning offers. Whether you have a tough stain, a strong smell, or even delicate items that need a freshen-up, this service offers something for everyone.
