Perchloroethylene

Uses

Tetrachloroethylene is a nonpolar solvent for organic materials. Additionally, it is volatile, relatively stable, and non-flammable. For these reasons, it became a leading solvent in dry cleaning operations worldwide beginning in the 1940s. The chemist Sylvia Stoesser (1901–1991) had suggested tetrachloroethylene to be used in dry cleaning as an alternative to highly flammable dry cleaning solvents such as naphtha. Tetrachloroethylene is the most common solvent in dry cleaning and has been considered the standard for cleaning performance. It is a highly effective cleaning solvent with a KB-value of 90. Used tetrachloroethylene is recycled by distillation at its boiling point (121 °C). Perchloroethylene can cause color bleeding/loss, especially at higher temperatures. In some cases it may damage special trims, buttons and beads on some garments. It is better for oil-based stains than more common water-soluble stains. Due to its high volatility, it does not leave permanent smell on dry-cleaned clothes. A dry cleaning machine running on perchloroethylene is called a "perc machine".