As we continue to tend towards an organic, environmentally friendly lifestyle, the organic phenomenon has extended beyond the food industry to other industries such as cleaning products. 

A lot of people are skeptical about these "organic" cleaning products, raising the questions, what exactly is organic dry cleaning? And what does it mean for the environment?

The regular methods of dry cleaning actually have an adverse effect on the environment. To you, it's just laundry, however, dry cleaners contain a solvent called perchloroethylene which is used to carry out dry cleaning.

Perchloroethylene has been listed as a hazardous air pollutant according to the EPA and is treated as hazardous waste when disposed of.

Not only does perchloroethylene pollute the air, but it can also leach into the soil, contaminating groundwater and destroying plants. According to The International Agency for Research on Cancer, perc is considered a possible carcinogen in human beings and when we are exposed to it for extended periods of time, it can trigger a variety of detrimental health effects.

Due to the likelihood of perchloroethylene being carcinogenic in humans, the use of the chemical is highly problematic and in most st as states, the chemical is being replaced with green, organic cleaning methods.

Organic dry cleaning basically means that when you dry clean your clothes, you make use of an organic, non-toxic solvent rather than the problematic and damaging perchloroethylene. 

It involves making use of cleaning processes and products that are not only friendly to the environment but also have little or no health risks to their users.

It is very important that more and more people begin paying attention to the environment. The earth is our collective responsibility and to preserve it, we have to continue working towards a greener, safer lifestyle.

There are a lot of benefits to using organic dry cleaning products, some of which are: 

• Organic dry cleaning has been shown to improve the health of most people who switch from the regular, toxin-laden cleaners. A lot of people suffer allergies and headaches triggered by the ingredients in conventional cleaners which are often irritants.

• Replacing your regular cleaners for organic products will not only improve your health but also reduce the extent of soil and water pollution as well as depletion of the ozone layer. 

• Swapping out your toxin-filled cleaning products for green products will go a long way in making your home safer, especially if you have children or pets.

• Green products are typically made from plant-based ingredients that do not possess the strong chemical odors that are associated with conventional cleaners. Organic cleaners provide you with better air quality.

The benefits of organic dry cleaners are numerous and undeniable. To a lot of people, organic dry cleaning may seem like too small a step, not capable of making an impact, but as they say, it is little drops of water that make an ocean. Moving to a greener dry cleaning process is definitely worth it for you and for the environment.