How hundred years of dry-cleaning paved the way for a vital industry!

In the past few months the professional dry-cleaning industry has more than ever proved to be of essential importance in the entire world after the COVID19 outbreak. It makes you wonder how it all started, since things have certainly changed over the past 100 years or so.

First of all, solvents were quite different back then, with a newly invented white essence (kerosene) as the means to realize the good cleaning. The funny thing is that in France, spirit cleaning was generally known as American cleaning and in the USA, it was known as French cleaning. In those days people were also willing to wait for their freshly washed items for weeks … not hours. Today, a modern facility usually implies turning on a few valves, switches and the kettle. In former days, a lot more was needed, such as three or four large vessels with tight fitting lids, a very large flat pan, tables, chairs, clothes pins, clothes brushes made of hogs hair. All of this had to be laid out in a wide, open space, preferably outside. And … it was hard work!

Nowadays, the processes involved are much easier to handle and the industry has developed into a modern, vital sector. With innovative power at hand and sustainability high on the agenda.