Last week in Dry Cleaning Chemical Labelled Toxic and Carcinogenic by EPA, we talked about the health effects of the ubiquitous dry cleaning chemical perc.

Indeed, dry cleaned items brought into the home can play a significant part in polluting indoor air. Here are a few ways to avoid contaminating your home’s air with perc and other toxic dry cleaning chemicals:

• Avoid ‘dry clean only’ clothes whenever possible. Check labels before purchasing items.
• Hand wash instead of dry cleaning when possible. Many delicate items that shouldn’t be washed in the machine can handle a gentle hand-washing at home. Do you research, though, about how to treat various fabrics.
• _Choose drapery, table linens, and decorative bedding that can be washed. This is especially important for allergy and asthma sufferers, who must keep bedding, window treatments, and other fabric home d