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Wet Cleaning

Best Neighborhood Care Dry Cleaners - Cost Analysis of a Professional Wet Cleaning Shop. 2012.

  This case study includes 12 months of data from Best Neighborhood on its capital costs, performance, resource use, and operational costs as a dedicated professional wet cleaner—the data also include costs of resources associated with laundering shirts (electricity, oil, water, and sewer). Download PDF file (1.63 MB)

Mr. John's Cleaners - Saves Money, Reduces Toxics, Conserves Energy. 2011.

  Owner of Mr. John's Ernie Barbato has been an innovator in finding ways to save money and make his business more efficient. This case study details the improvements that are saving his business money and provides advice for other small business owners. Download PDF file (203.18 kB)

Ace Cleaners - Eliminating the Use of Toxic Chemicals in Dry Cleaning. 2011.

  Professional wet cleaning has been identified as one of the most promising alternatives to perchloroethylene in the dry cleaning industry. The Toxics Use Reduction Institute at UMass Lowell provided a matching grant to Ace Cleaners in North Andover, Massachusetts, to help the small business convert its operations from perchloroethylene-based to water-based processes. The analysis of two years of data is presented here, including capital costs, performance data and associated costs, operational costs, and resource use and associated costs. The bottom line? During their first year of operation as a wet cleaner, Ace Cleaners realized $1,844 of savings and a 15% reduction in electricity use. Download PDF file (957.01 kB)

Silver Hanger Cleaners - Feasibility and Cost Comparison of Perchloroethylene Dry Cleaning to Professional Wet Cleaning. 2010.

  The Toxics Use Reduction Institute has been working with the dry cleaning sector for over ten years — focusing on the ultimate goal of replacing the use of perchloroethylene (PCE) in this sector with safer and feasible alternatives, particularly professional wet cleaning. In 2008, the Institute provided a matching grant to Silver Hanger Cleaners in Bellingham, Massachusetts to convert their operations from perchloroethylene-based to water-based processes. Two years of data have been collected from the facility, reflecting one year of solvent use and one year of dedicated professional wet cleaning. The analysis of the data is presented here, including capital costs, performance metrics, operational costs, and resource use and associated costs. Download PDF file (2.99 MB)