How do dry cleaners actually clean your clothes?

[TheChosenTwo]

And do you just wash stuff in the machine anyway?!
I was pondering this with dd after picking up my dry cleaning. She asked what they actually do if they can’t be ‘washed’ in the machine. And I didn’t know!
I’ve got some lovely dresses that I wouldn’t want to risk in the machine but also have a few things that say dry clean only but I ignore and wash anyway and come out fine…

They don’t use water. Hence “dry” cleaning. The clothes are washed in a solvent instead. It used to be tetrachloroethylene but I’m not sure if that is still in use.

I washed my ds raincoat that was dry clean only a few weeks ago. I used a water proofing washing liquid. It came out ok but lost its "smart" look and looked duller. Might have looked better if I'd pressed it but I couldn't be arsed really.

The trouble with dry cleaning imo is it never gets rid of sweat smells. It just sort of impregnates it with a chemically overlying smell.

But I always think I'm indulging in risky behaviour not dry cleaning! And probably wouldn't do it with something I really love and was irreplaceable.

Actually not sure that begins to answer your question

Thanks, I looked into it and yes it seems that they use a weird solution.
I agree somewhat @tobee though, stains and marks etc come out but the clothes come back with a weird chemically smell rather than smelling ‘fresh’. And no; I wouldn’t risk it with the things I had dry cleaned, they are expensive dresses and I’d be gutted to wreck them for the sake of saving a few quid! The things I should dry clean but don’t aren’t very special to me and I wouldn’t be bereft if they had come out less than perfect.
Dry cleaning is expensive though, I usually wear the things a few times before getting them cleaned 🙈