At Rinse, your health and the environment matter. That's why we take the following actions to make sure that it’s not just your clothes that are treated with care.
1. Rinse is perc-free
Historically, the most widely used solvent in dry cleaning has been perchloroethylene (“perc”), but this solvent is a known carcinogen and can have a hazardous impact on the environment and individuals’ health.
An estimated 80% of dry cleaners still use it, but Rinse only works with dry cleaning partners who use environmentally friendly cleaning processes, and none of our partners use perc.
Wait, why would anyone use perc?
The short answer is that it’s a very effective cleaning agent and it is accepted as a part of the industry. The environmentally friendly alternatives to cleaning with perc, are effective, but they take more time and effort on the part of the cleaner, which means it costs them more.
When you support cleaners that abstain from using perc, you are helping the entire industry move in a more environmentally friendly direction.
Read more about Perc and Rinse’s Green Cleaning Practices.
2. Rinse accepts clothing donations
We’ll collect any clothing that you’d like to donate and make sure it gets to a charitable organization, rather than ending up in landfill.
Did you know that the average American throws away up to 81 pounds of laundry per year? And that one in three of people surveyed said that they threw their old clothes out because it was easier that recycling or donating?
Many people don’t realize the true cost and value of their clothes—just creating a single t-shirt can take up to 700 gallons of water. By donating or recycling your old clothes instead of throwing them away, you are not just helping your community and the charitable organizations that receive them but you are making a huge impact on the environment!
What you can do - When you have clothes you’d like to donate, just put them in a separate bag (don’t put them in your Rinse bags!) and your Rinse Valet will collect them during your next pickup or delivery. We then make sure that your clothes are given to a local charity and stay out of the landfill!
3. Rinse uses less water and less energy
Our cleaning partners use high-efficiency washing machines which means up to 50% less water is used when compared to traditional, at-home washing machines, resulting in millions of gallons of water saved each year.
Additionally, cold water washing not only keeps your clothes looking better for longer, but it saves energy. Combined with high-speed spin cycles which reduces the amount of time clothes need to spend in the dryer, Rinse is able to significantly reduce the amount of water, electricity, and carbon emissions associated with cleaning.
4. Rinse uses biodegradable poly bags and recycles hangers
Traditional Dry Cleaning and Wash & Fold practices use plastic to ensure your clean clothes stay clean when they’re delivered to you. Rinse does this, too, however, much of the plastic wrapping that Rinse uses is biodegradable. For the portion that isn’t we’re happy to collect the plastic and recycle it for you.
What you can do - At your next pickup or delivery, give your Rinse Valet any unwanted wire hangers and the non-biodegradable portion of plastic used to protect your Rinse orders so Rinse can recycle them.
