Dry Cleaner Safety Dry Cleaner Safety - Dry cleaners use chemicals, heat, and steam to clean and press clothing and other fabrics. While helping their customers look spotless, dry cleaners need to be aware of their workplace hazards. The use of chemicals is the primary hazard in a dry cleaner. Almost all dry cleaning is done with perchlorethylene (PERC), a solvent. Inhaling PERC can lead to serious health effects such as liver and kidney damage, dizziness, headache, sleepiness, confusion, nausea, difficulty in speaking and walking, unconsciousness, and death. PERC is also a suspected carcinogen. To avoid overexposure, use PERC in closed-loop dry cleaning...