What does Dry Clean - Tetrachloroethylene mean?

Detailed explanation

The dry clean P symbol (a circle with a P inside) indicates that the item must be dry cleaned using perchloroethylene (PERC), petroleum-based, or hydrocarbon solvents only. The P designation comes from the ISO 3758 standard and means the garment cannot safely tolerate all dry cleaning solvents — specifically it must not be cleaned with trichloroethylene (TCE), which was formerly used in some dry cleaning processes. Show the care label to your dry cleaner to ensure the correct solvent is selected.

How to follow the Dry Clean - Tetrachloroethylene symbol:

1. 1

   Requires tetrachloroethylene (PERC) solvent

2. 2

   Most common dry cleaning solvent

3. 3

   Inform dry cleaner of this requirement

4. 4

   Show them this care label

When does this symbol appear on care labels?

• Take to a professional dry cleaner and show them this specific care symbol
• For wool, silk, and certain delicate synthetics that require solvent cleaning but cannot tolerate all chemicals
• For garments with embellishments or special treatments that are sensitive to certain solvent types

Common mistakes to avoid

• Not showing the care label to the cleaner — verbal descriptions are prone to misinterpretation; the symbol is unambiguous
• Assuming all dry cleaners use the same solvent — they do not; verify the cleaner uses PERC or hydrocarbon solvent

Common Materials