Gentler Care
What Is Wet Cleaning?
A water-based, low-impact alternative to solvent dry cleaning — gentler on delicate fabric and on sensitive skin.
- Water-based process
- Gentler on delicate fibers
- No heavy solvent smell
- 5.0 ★ · 50 Google reviews
- Locally owned and operated in Hollywood, SC
- New 100 lb washer for big loads
- Open daily 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Pickup & delivery across the Lowcountry
Wet cleaning, plainly explained
Wet cleaning is a professional garment-care process built around water rather than chemical solvent. It uses specialty, fabric-safe detergents, closely controlled water temperature, and gentle mechanical action, along with careful drying and finishing, to clean garments that traditionally would have gone through a solvent dry cleaning machine. It's not the same as a home wash — the equipment and detergents are designed specifically for delicate and structured garments that need more control than a household washer and dryer can offer.
The name causes some confusion because "dry cleaning" doesn't actually mean no liquid is involved — it refers to using a chemical solvent instead of water. Wet cleaning flips that: it uses water as the base, but manages every variable — how much, how warm, how much agitation, how the item is finished afterward — so that water-sensitive garments come through safely instead of shrinking, bleeding color or losing shape the way they might in an ordinary wash.
How it differs from solvent cleaning
Solvent dry cleaning uses a chemical solvent to lift soil and oils without water. Wet cleaning uses water and gentle, fabric-specific detergents instead — a different tool for a different kind of garment or sensitivity.
Gentler on skin
Because there's no heavy solvent residue left in the fabric, wet cleaning tends to be a better fit for people with sensitive skin, allergies, or a preference for avoiding strong chemical smells against their clothes.
Which garments suit it
Many wools, some silks, delicate blouses, and garments with care labels or construction that call for a lower-impact process are good candidates. Our team decides which process fits each item during inspection.
The environmental angle
Water-based cleaning avoids the use of heavy chemical solvent altogether for the garments it's used on, which is part of why we favor it where it's a good fit for the fabric.
Traditional dry cleaning vs wet cleaning vs home washing
Three ways to clean the same shirt — and why the right one depends on the fabric, not on habit.
| What matters | Traditional dry cleaning | Wet cleaning | Home washing |
|---|---|---|---|
| What cleans the garment | Chemical solvent, no water | Water plus fabric-specific detergents | Tap water and household detergent |
| Control over the process | Machine-set solvent cycle | Temperature, agitation and drying tuned per garment | A handful of preset cycles |
| Odor left behind | Often a noticeable solvent smell | None — clothes smell clean, not chemical | Whatever detergent you used |
| Skin sensitivity | Solvent residue can irritate | Best choice for sensitive skin and babies | Depends on detergent and rinse |
| Risk to delicate fibers | Hard on some wools and trims over time | Low — the process is built around the fabric | High: shrinking, bleeding and lost shape |
| Finishing | Pressed and hung professionally | Blocked, shaped and pressed by hand in-house | Your iron, your evening |
Fabrics that do well in wet cleaning
These are the fibers we most often route to a water-based process instead of solvent. Final call is always made at inspection.
- Wool
- Cashmere
- Silk blends
- Linen
- Rayon
- Structured cotton
Not sure which process your garment needs?
You don't have to decide — bring it in and our team will inspect it and choose the right process, wet cleaning or otherwise, before anything is cleaned.
Wet cleaning questions
How this gentler process works and which garments it's used on.
Ready for laundry day to be someone else's problem?
Schedule a pickup online in about a minute, or call and talk to a real person in Hollywood.