Dry Cleaning Goes Wet and Green in NDG!

Montreal is now home to Québec's first environmentally-friendly steam-based clothes-cleaning enterprises: Nettoyeur Écologique Royal situated at 5866 Sherbrooke St. West and 5956 Monkland Avenue, both located in NDG. The established businesses recently introduced an innovative method to clean dry-clean only clothes, thus dispensing with the use of the toxic chemical perchloroethylene (PERC) employed in conventional dry-cleaning processes.

"We want to offer the residents of NDG and greater Montreal a healthy dry-cleaning option, in addition to providing a much safer work environment for our staff, and being an environmentally-responsible local business," said owner Michael Kutchuk.

As a volatile organic solvent, PERC has been linked to serious health hazards, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has designated it a likely human carcinogen.

"The dangers are understood to be so great that last year California actually introduced legislation to prohibit the installation of new PERC machines beginning January 1st, 2008, and other states will be following suit," he explained."

In place of toxic chemicals, Nettoyeur Écologique Royal uses what is called the ‘wet method,' which is a steam-based, energy-efficient process employing citrus-derived detergents that is by far an environmentally safer way to clean the clothes that people cannot or prefer not to wash in their home washing machines.

"The wet method is a proven technology that is as effective, if not more so, in cleaning clothes labelled ‘dry-clean only.' Our top-of-the line equipment was imported from Germany and includes washers, dryers and specialized finishing equipment," This technology was developed in 1991 and only arrived in North America in 1999 noted Kutchuk.

"Customers get clean clothes with no fumes from off-gassing dry-cleaning solvents, along with the knowledge that they are contributing to keeping a toxic chemical out of the air and soil. It's a way for both me and my customers to do our small but significant part for the environment. And they get the same quality work and friendly service they expect from me and my staff," he added.

In addition to the cleaning operations, both Nettoyeur Écologique Royal locations also offer reparation and alteration services.

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Contact info:
Michael P.Kutchuk

Nettoyeur Écologique Royal
5866 Sherbrooke Street West
Montreal, Quebec, H4A 1X5
Tel: (514) 482-3622 Fax: (514) 482-3612
Email: nettoyeurecologiqueroyal@bellnet.ca