Is it safe to use water on my fabrics? The tag says dry clean only...

I’ve been in the cleaning industry for over 3 decades and I can tell you with 100% certainty that every fabric I’ve ever come across can be cleaned safely with the Green Mitt Kit. 

Let me be clear… this isn’t the case with all cleaning processes. Some fabrics can’t be cleaned at all with hot water extraction, while others are fine. Some can be cleaned marginally well with a fine fabric shampoo. Some react poorly to shampoo. 

I know what you’re thinking… unless you’re a certified professional like I am, how the heck are you supposed to keep track of this? I don’t blame you if it’s confusing. 

Let’s make it easy.

What separates the ability to clean these fabrics is simply the amount of water. The safer a fabric is to clean, the more water that can be used. 

Thankfully, the Green Mitt is a low moisture system. This is why it’s safe to use on every fabric I’ve ever come across. 

For most fabrics it’s recommended to use a water based cleaning method. But some fabric… linen, silk, or an inexpensive newer fiber called viscos…can’t handle water. 

And just a heads up on viscos- avoid this fabric whenever possible. It doesn’t hold up to wear and tear and it can’t be cleaned well, no matter the method. 

Most of the concerns with over-wetting comes from uneducated cleaners using a high PH cleaner or high heat in hot water extraction. Either of these would cause dye migration or color bleeding. Picture a sofa with red and white stripes… with high heat or high ph, the red would bleed into the white and the sofa would be ruined.

These concerns don’t exist with the Green Mitt. Clean Safe Products neutral ph stabilizes dyes and you can avoid hot water entirely, so there’s no need to worry about color bleeding. 

The one concern you should have with water is that some fabric, if it gets too wet, will leave a water stain. To avoid this, simply get a small area wet and let it dry. If there’s a water spot it doesn’t mean you need to stop cleaning. First, don’t get it too wet. Second, make sure you wet the entire section you’re cleaning. If you don’t create a spot with the water, there won’t be a water spot. Simple as that. 

It’s important to realize that when using our Green Mitt with its micro absorbent fibers, your water usage is low. Wring it out so that the Green Mitt is damp, not dripping wet. This is why the concerns about using water on soft surfaces, even the most delicate fabrics, are not something you need to worry about with the Green Mitt.