NORWICH — Clothes do not have to be laced with a toxic chemical residue or permanently stained with a solvent smell in order to not look worn, wrinkled or misshapen. Arrow Laundry in Norwich has made a recent switch to chemical-free wet cleaning of the clothes they professionally wash.
Owner Billie Hendrickson of Guilford said, “The high end cleaners are now using chemical-free wet cleaning. It is a higher quality process than drying cleaning. The clothes come out looking and feeling better. They smell cleaner and are softer.”
Hendrickson said dry cleaning uses harsh, toxic chemicals that are hard on clothes and harmful to the environment. She also said clothes come out with a chemical residue and smell. She has had customers complain of a “sour smell” that does not go away and allergic reactions to the chemicals.
“People can be nervous about change. They think there are some clothes that have to be dry cleaned, but that is just not true. We have proven it,” said Hendrickson.
Due to local competition and personal tragedy, Hendrickson was introduced to chemical-free wet cleaning through her “need to survive.” She lost a third of her coin laundry business to a competitor, and her husband became ill and passed away last spring.
“My dry cleaning machine was giving me problems. I couldn't afford the solvent because it would have been over $900. My husband was sick, and I had to take over,” said Hendrickson.
Arrow Laundry is a member of the National Cleaners Association in New York City. The NCA recommends chemical-free wet cleaning as an environmentally friendly and quality alternative to dry cleaning. Hendrickson used the NCA and her late husband's business contacts in Albany to make the transition from dry to wet cleaning.
“The industry is touting it as the best way to go. A lot of cleaners have gone exclusively to wet cleaning, but we are one of the few locally that do chemical-free professional cleaning,” said Hendrickson. “Once I realized how much nicer the clothes looked and felt, I was excited to tell people about the process.”
Employee Holly Shepard of Norwich was instrumental in helping Hendrickson make the switch to wet cleaning. Shepard has worked for Arrow Laundry for over 14 years and was employed by the family of the original owners. According to Hendrickson, Shepard is detail-oriented and can clean every type of material with the new washing method, including wool.
Shepard starts the wet cleaning process by carefully examining the clothing and separating it by material and color. She has to be mindful of the temperature used for each different type of clothing. She then tests whether or not a color bleeds. Based on the clothing type, she determines how the item will be washed.
“Many of the clothes go into the special wet cleaning machine, washed with a commercial soap similar to Woolite and are dried on a low heat. Some materials have to be washed by hand, pressed and reshaped as they are drying. It is a detailed process and more work, but the positives make it worth it,” said Shepard.
According to Shepard, positives include the lack of toxic emissions into the air and the clothes are cleaner, softer and look less worn. “We use a special conditioner, similar to a fabric softner. I take my time during the washing and drying process. I am a perfectionist, and I have learned from videos, books and other experienced cleaners. I take pride in making the clothes look like new,” said Shepard.
Hendrickson and Shepard encourage customers to give the process a try, because it is “awesome.” They said clothes with “food, dirt or other stains will come out cleaner, softer and smelling better.”
“It is gentler on clothes, gentler on the environment and gentler on us,” said Hendrickson.
For more information, call Arrow Laundry 334-4131.