干洗是指是用四氯乙烯等有机溶剂取代水为媒介，清洗服装和纺织品的技术。目前**约有80%之干洗业者使用石油系溶剂为干洗溶剂，其余约20%之业者则使用四氯乙烯为干洗溶剂（欧美国家干洗业者使用四氯乙烯为干洗溶剂者约占85%，其余约15%业者使用石油系溶剂为干洗溶剂）。

大多数织物原则上都可以干洗。但干洗需要在有专门设备的干洗店进行，因而比起水洗不方便而且价格较贵。干洗适用于不宜沾水的材料：例如羊毛、皮革遇水容易缩水变形，某些丝绸制品遇水和常规洗涤剂容易褪色。

塑料、人造革等材料溶于一些常见有机溶剂，因此干洗需要用特别的溶剂。干洗后的衣物可能会残留微量溶剂，所以贴身的内衣，床单不宜用有毒、有刺激性的溶剂干洗。另外，虽然干洗对织物损伤较小，特别脆弱的衣物（例如缀有大量不牢饰品的）仍然需要手工洗涤以免损坏。

Dry cleaning is any cleaning process for clothing and textiles using a chemical solvent other than water. The solvent used is typically toxic tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene), which the industry calls "perc" or "PERC". It is used to clean delicate fabrics that cannot withstand the rough and tumble of a washing machine and clothes dryer; it can also eliminate labor-intensive hand washing. "Perc" is the most widely used solvent across the world, although new solvents have become more popular in the United States and Europe; including hydrocarbons, Green Earth, and Solvon K4.