PERC or perchloroethylene was recognized as a powerful stain removing agent which was adopted in 1941 by dry cleaning operations in the US.
With the health risks to consumers, workers, and the environment, PERC lingers on clothes hours or even days it can still enter your body when you breathe its vapors in the air and can be absorbed through your skin, to a limited extent.
The professional dry cleaners in Orange County listed the most common effects of overexposure to PERC and its effects on our health:
- PERC enters the body when you breathe its vapors in the air thus being absorbed through the skin.
- Lengthy or repeated skin contact with the liquid PERC removes the natural protective oils of the skin and can cause irritation of the eyes, nose, skin and throat and it could even affect the nervous system.
- Like most organic solvents, PERC affects the brain the same way as drinking alcohol does. Short-term exposure to high levels of PERC can cause build up of fluid in the lungs, eye, and respiratory irritation. Mildest effects could be feeling of dizziness, drowsiness, and loss of coordination.
- In severe cases, it can cause mild loss of memory, visual perception,loss of consciousness and even death.
- Exposure to high levels of PERC can also damage liver or kidneys and can harm developing fetus if the mother is frequently exposed. Therefore pregnant or nursing women should avoid over exposure to this chemical.
As with all health effects,the potential for an increased risk of cancer depends on several factors including how much PERC exposure there is, how often the exposure occurs, and how long it lasts.
Luckily, there are other alternative solvents that dry cleaners use. PERC is not the only based dry cleaning option for professional cleaning.
Dry cleaners in Orange County especially European Cleaners aims to reduce our carbon footprint thus we create earth and budget friendly cleaning options. It’s the fact that we are the first dry cleaners to embrace green cleaning. With over 50 years experience and a business that has been passed on to 2 generations of professional dry cleaners in the family, this is the only name to trust in Orange County.