For decades, dry cleaning has been considered the standard method for cleaning business suits in the United States. But as professional wet cleaning technology continues to advance, an increasing number of cleaners are asking a simple question: Do suits really need to be dry cleaned?
Pietro’s Cleaners owner Kate Lim is among those challenging that assumption.
Rather than investing in a new dry cleaning machine, Lim chose to install the AquaMax Professional Wet Cleaning System. One month after installation, she has yet to run her dry cleaning machine a single time.
“Originally, I expected we’d continue using dry cleaning for about 30 percent of our garments. But so far, we simply haven’t needed it.”
A 25-Year Fashion Career Led to Dry Cleaning
Lim immigrated to the United States in 1986 and spent approximately 25 years working in Los Angeles’ apparel and fashion industry, gaining extensive experience with fabrics, garment construction, and quality control.
After relocating to Colorado for her husband’s job, she enjoyed several years away from work before realizing retirement simply wasn’t for her.
“At first it was nice taking a break for two or three years. But I’d worked all my life, and eventually I realized I couldn’t just sit at home.”
Unable to find a position that matched her previous career, Lim joined Pietro’s Cleaners as a part-time employee in 2018. Not long afterward, the previous owner asked if she would consider purchasing the business.
“At first I wondered if I was really capable of running a dry cleaner. But my child had gone off to college, and I felt it was time to start working again.”
No Dry Cleaning Experience—But Plenty of Fabric Knowledge
Although she had never worked in garment care, Lim’s decades in the fashion industry gave her confidence in one critical area: fabrics.
“I could identify most fabrics just by looking at them.”
She learned the cleaning business from the previous owner, initially following established procedures before gradually adapting operations based on her own textile expertise.
Even before installing AquaMax, Lim had already developed the habit of washing any garment she believed could safely be cleaned with water.
The Dry Cleaning Machine Became the Biggest Headache
Pietro’s Cleaners had been operating a GreenEarth silicone solvent system since before Lim purchased the business.
However, the aging machine required frequent repairs, maintenance costs continued to climb, and the annual $2,400 solvent program fee became increasingly difficult to justify.
“We were only running one or two dry cleaning loads a day, but the machine was constantly giving us problems.”
While researching replacement equipment, Lim came across articles and advertisements about AquaMax in Korean Cleaners Monthly.
Initially, she had no intention of eliminating dry cleaning altogether.
“We didn’t buy it expecting to completely replace dry cleaning. We thought we’d still use the dry cleaning machine whenever necessary and simply have two wet cleaning machines available. But the results have been so good that I honestly think we’re better off not using the dry cleaning machine at all.”
Today, more than a month after installation, she admits she is surprised that she hasn’t processed a single load through the dry cleaning machine.
Productive From Day One
As soon as installation was complete, Lim put the new system directly into production.
“It was surprisingly easy. Everything had already been programmed—darks, lights, shirts—so all I had to do was press the appropriate button.”
The biggest difference she noticed compared to previous wet cleaning equipment was the wash action.
“Our previous machine kept tumbling the garments, and I always felt there was unnecessary abrasion. With AquaMax’s Wave Action and virtually no drop action inside the drum, I could immediately tell the process was much gentler.”
She also praised the chemistry.
“I still want to use the detergents a little longer before making a final judgment, but compared to everything else I’ve tried, the hand feel is completely different. The garments feel just like they’ve been professionally dry cleaned.”
Putting Wool Suits in the Dryer? It Actually Works
Perhaps the biggest surprise came during drying.
Like many cleaners, Lim had never imagined placing wet-cleaned wool suits or cashmere garments directly into a dryer.
“Honestly, I wasn’t sure it would work. Wet clean a wool suit and then put it straight into the dryer? But it actually works.”
Today, wool suits, cashmere, and most knitwear are routinely machine dried. Only extremely delicate items, such as certain Irish wool sweaters, are still air dried.
The finishing process has remained virtually unchanged.
“The garments come out of the dryer with almost no wrinkles. They look no different than garments that have been dry cleaned, and pressing them is just as easy.”
The Biggest Improvement Was Spotting
Ironically, the greatest benefit for Lim has been something she hadn’t expected: spotting.
“Before, I had to spend a lot of time spotting almost every suit before dry cleaning.”
Perspiration stains—particularly underarm stains—were especially difficult to remove through dry cleaning alone.
After switching to wet cleaning, however, most of that work disappeared.
Only oil-based stains require pretreatment with an oil remover.
“Sometimes we’d receive suits that were extremely dirty, and spending all that time spotting them was frustrating. Now we wet clean them instead, and I just toss them in the washer. That’s one of my favorite changes.”
Customers Haven’t Noticed—But the Staff Certainly Has
Interestingly, Lim says customers have not noticed the operational change.
“I don’t think our customers even realize we’ve switched from dry cleaning to wet cleaning.”
Inside the plant, however, the difference is obvious.
The workflow has become simpler, and Lim appreciates working primarily with water rather than solvent.
“GreenEarth is marketed as an environmentally friendly solvent, but it’s still a chemical. Personally, I feel washing with water is healthier, and maybe it’s old-fashioned thinking, but to me, water simply cleans better.”
“We Keep Telling Each Other We Made the Right Decision”
Today, Pietro’s Cleaners processes approximately four to five wet cleaning loads each day.
Lim personally handles nearly all production.
Although she has only been operating the system for about a month, she says her confidence continues to grow.
Even her husband, Peter Hong, who typically visits the plant only on weekends because of his own full-time job, has become an enthusiastic supporter.
“We keep telling each other, ‘We did the right thing. This was a great purchase.'”
“I Only Wish We’d Known About It Sooner”
When asked whether she had any regrets, Lim smiled before answering.
“Honestly, I just wish I’d discovered it sooner.”
After a brief pause, she explained why.
“If we had, we could have been returning better-cleaned garments to our customers much earlier.”
What began as an experiment to see whether professional wet cleaning could realistically replace dry cleaning has become something much more.
One month later, Lim is no longer asking whether it can be done.
She’s convinced it already has.
“Sometimes dry cleaning feels like you’re simply dusting the garment off and sending it back. But when I look at a suit that came out of the AquaMax system, it looks exactly like it came from a dry cleaning machine—only cleaner. Like I said, so far, so good!”
For more information, you can contact Pietro’s Cleaners at (303) 421-8895.
