If this topic has been covered, I appologize in advance. I did a search and came up empty handed. I also googled it with very confusing results. I've heard here and there that Dry-Cleaning really isn't anything but clothes being put in a washer and then pressed. I've also heard that "true" Dry-Cleaning doesn't clean anything at all - that its simply steamed and pressed. So I'm hoping some of the Gentlemen on this esteemed site can clear up some of the mystery here.
Dry cleaning uses chemicals, but no water, hence "dry" cleaning, as opposed to laundering, which uses water and a soap-like detergent. Dry cleaning is definitely more than just steaming and pressing, and certainly not the same as washing. Some members will counsel you against dry cleaning your clothing too frequently because it causes the color to fade and the garment to deteriorate more quickly, while others will say that dry cleaning causes no damage at all, assuming it is done properly. My personal feeling is that one shouldn't overdo it (once a week, for example, is too much), but within reason, dry cleaning is relatively harmless.