A dry cleaner is a business that cleans clothes using special chemicals instead of water. Despite the name, the process isn't completely dry: cleaners use liquid solvents that dissolve dirt and stains without making fabrics shrink or lose their shape the way water sometimes does.

Some fabrics need this careful treatment. A wool suit or silk dress might get ruined in a regular washing machine, but dry cleaning keeps them looking crisp and new. The chemicals used are gentler on delicate materials, and they're especially good at removing oil-based stains that water can't touch.

When you take clothes to the dry cleaner, they tag each item, clean it in large machines, press it to remove wrinkles, and return it on a hanger wrapped in plastic. People use dry cleaners for fancy clothes, wedding dresses, winter coats, and anything with a care label that says “dry clean only.”