Where Do You Get Your Clothes Dry Cleaned?

Your choices affect our planet.  PEA Partner Dry Cleaning Station is the only “green” dry cleaner in the Triad (PEA members receive a 5% discount).  Did you know that most dry cleaners use a carbon based cleaning solvent called perchloroethylene (perc for short) that is an air and water pollutant regulated by the EPA as a hazardous waste?  It is linked to cancer, neurological disorders and reproductive problems in humans, especially those who work or live next door to a dry cleaning facility were perc is used.  There has also been some speculation as to the safety of wearing freshly dry cleaned clothing at least once a week, as well as the residual release of perc from garments hanging in your home.  The government and dry cleaning establishments are taking steps to regulate and limit the risk, but most (an estimated 85%) dry cleaners are still using perc.

There are alternatives, one of which is a process called GreenEarth® Cleaning (www.greenearthcleaning.com).  Unlike the carbon based perc solvent, this solvent is a liquid silicone.  It is biodegradable, hypoallergenic, and odorless.  Not only is it environmentally friendly, but it is gentle on clothes.  Clothes smell fresher and feel better than traditional dry cleaners, and the prices are comparable.  Dry Cleaning Station is the Triad’s only cleaner using the environmentally friendly GreenEarth® Cleaning solvent.  Owners Gray and Bill Patton were awarded by the County Commissioners and the Environmental Affairs Board of Forsyth County a Special Environmental Award for “investing in environmentally responsible technology, significantly reducing adverse environmental impacts and providing the citizens of Forsyth County a safe dry cleaning alternative.” 

Dry Cleaning Station gets PEA’s stamp of approval.  We encourage you to check what solvent your current dry cleaner uses, and give Dry Cleaning Station a try.  Another perk of using Dry Cleaning Station is their free pick-up and delivery in Winston-Salem (coming soon to Greensboro).  They are also one of many environmentally friendly businesses that participate in the PEA Partner Savings Program.  PEA members receive 5% off every order.  (Remember you must show your membership card to get a discount.  Offer excludes specialty items and cannot be combined with other offers.)  Military, fire, and police uniforms are 50% off.  For every nonperishable item brought to Dry Cleaning Station for Second Harvest Food Bank on December 7-19, you will receive 50¢ off your order up to $5.  

Dry Cleaning Stations has a store in Winston-Salem at 110 Oakwood Dr. (2 doors down from Starbucks across from Thruway Shopping Center) and a plant in Kernersville that is open to the public at 1500 Brookford Rd. (off Hwy 66 between Ciener Woods Ford and Larry Wicker Motors).  For more information on Dry Cleaning Station, visit their website.  To check out other PEA Savings Partners visit the website.