At home dry cleaning products: Actual dry cleaning? Don't believe a word!

The typical advertisement for Dryel, Drycleaners Secret or 15 Minute Drycleaner suggests that you can clean, revive, freshen and revitalize your wardrobe at home in less than 30 minutes and, in the process, save $200+.

Then they attempt to close the deal by citing testimonials “proving” that their products actually work.

To further assist in that marketing, they employ an army of bloggers to write personal stories about the wonderful results they achieved using those amazing products.

Some bloggers disclose that they are being paid for their endorsements or that they receive free product; even more fail to disclosure their conflicts of interest.

We understand the allure of these products: save money, save time and “achieve professional dry cleaning results.”

With these claims in mind, let’s get to the nitty gritty:

Question: What results do you get by tumbling your dry clean only garments in a dryer for 30 minutes with a scented sheet?

Answer: Dirty garments with a fragrance smell that are slightly less wrinkled than they were 30 minutes earlier.

Dirty but fragranced?

Absolutely.

If you don't believe this, ask yourself these questions:

• What’s happened to the acids and salts from your perspiration?
• What’s happened to the water-based stains from perspiration, juices, sodas, coffee, wine and beer?
• What’s happened to the oil-based stains from body oils, makeup, creams, lotions, butter, salad dressing, steak sauce and pizza drippings?
• What's happened to the aluminum chlorides from your antiperspirants and deodorants?
• What's happened to the overspray from perfumes and hairspray?

Did they disappear up the dryer vent? Into the lint trap? Into the waiting arms of the stain fairy?

No, they’re still in your garments!

So next time, you “dry clean” with a scented sheet, ask yourself whether you’d tumble your t-shirts, underwear and bed linens in a dryer with a scented sheet and call them clean.

And ask yourself whether a quick spray of perfume or the application of cologne is a substitute for a shower or a bath.

Didn’t think so.

Case closed.