From the hum of an industrial dryer to the sight of a pristine suit freshly pressed, the dry cleaning industry is more intertwined with modern life than most realize. Beyond the storefronts and pick-up services, garment care has found its way into pop culture, featured in some of the most iconic movies and television shows of the last few decades. Dry cleaning, once perceived as a mundane chore, has evolved into a symbol of status, character development and even plot devices in entertainment. This feature explores the role of dry cleaning in everyday life and how it has seamlessly woven itself into modern pop culture.
Garment Care in Film: A Symbol of Identity and Wealth
Movies often depict dry cleaning as a subtle marker of class and identity, signifying the characters’ wealth, professionalism, or obsessive attention to detail. One of the most famous examples of dry cleaning in cinema comes from the 2000 psychological thriller American Psycho. The protagonist, Patrick Bateman, is portrayed as a wealthy, fastidious investment banker with a dark side. His obsession with cleanliness extends to his frequent trips to the dry cleaners, where he attempts to remove bloodstains from his clothing. The dry cleaner’s inability to get the blood out isn’t just a practical problem—it becomes a metaphor for Bateman’s inability to hide his violent tendencies. In this way, dry cleaning is a narrative device reinforcing the character’s obsessive need for control.
Similarly, in the 2013 biographical crime film The Wolf of Wall Street, dry cleaning is referenced as part of the protagonist’s luxurious lifestyle. Jordan Belfort’s lavish suits and frequent trips to the dry cleaners subtly emphasize the excess and opulence that define his world. These depictions, though fleeting, demonstrate how dry cleaning has come to symbolize more than just cleanliness—it represents power, privilege and the outward maintenance of a carefully curated image.
Dry Cleaning as a Plot Device in Television
Television, too, has used dry cleaning as both a comedic and dramatic element. In the hit series Friends, dry cleaning is featured in an episode where Ross quarrels with a dry cleaner over a missing shirt. The argument, although humorous, reminds us how essential garment care is to daily life. For Ross, the dry cleaner’s mistake disrupts his sense of order, showing how even minor inconveniences in this industry can have ripple effects on people’s lives.
Breaking Bad, one of television’s most iconic series, also incorporates dry cleaning, although with darker undertones. Walter White frequently deals with the aftermath of illegal activities, including cleaning up literal and figurative messes. Dry cleaning is used as a cover for more sinister deeds, with laundering both clothes and money becoming a recurring theme. In this way, dry cleaning is not just a service—it’s an integral part of the criminal underworld in the series, symbolizing the characters’ need to cover up their illicit actions.
The Humorous Side of Garment Care
While dry cleaning often plays a serious role in movies and TV shows, it’s also been a source of humor. In How I Met Your Mother, the character Barney Stinson is known for his love of suits, going so far as to refer to his frequent trips to the dry cleaners as part of his high-maintenance lifestyle. For Barney, dry cleaning is not just necessary—it’s a point of pride, highlighting his obsessive devotion to sartorial perfection.
Similarly, Seinfeld frequently references dry cleaning, with one episode focusing on Jerry’s ongoing battle with a dry cleaner who he believes has lost or ruined his clothing. The situation escalates into a classic Jerry Seinfeld moment of petty grievances blown out of proportion, illustrating how mishandling garment care can become a source of comedy and conflict.
The Emotional Weight of Garment Care in Film
Beyond comedy and criminality, dry cleaning has also been used in film to convey emotional depth. In The Blind Side (2009), a scene shows the character Big Mike using a laundromat to hand wash his only shirt. This small, intimate moment symbolizes his struggle and perseverance, highlighting how even something as simple as washing clothes can carry significant emotional weight.
Likewise, the French film Dry
Cleaning (Nettoyage à Sec, 1997) revolves around a couple who run a dry cleaning business. The monotony of their daily routine becomes a metaphor for the stagnation in their relationship until they are introduced to a new and dangerous world of obsession and desire. The dry cleaning business becomes the backdrop for their personal unraveling, demonstrating how garment care can be a powerful symbol of routine, order and the disruption of both.
The Real-Life Impact of the Dry Cleaning Industry
While these cinematic and television portrayals offer entertaining glimpses into the world of dry cleaning, they also reflect a broader truth: garment care is an essential part of modern life. Looking polished and put-together is non-negotiable for many, particularly in professional settings. The dry cleaning industry is critical in maintaining the clothing that defines personal and professional identities.
As fashion evolves and more people seek to extend the life of their garments, the demand for high-quality dry cleaning services continues to grow. From stain removal to garment preservation, dry cleaners provide a valuable service that goes beyond convenience—it’s about maintaining investments and ensuring that individuals can present the best version of themselves, whether in a boardroom or on a first date.
The dry cleaning industry may seem like a background player in the larger scheme of everyday life, but as movies and TV shows have demonstrated, it often plays a pivotal role in shaping narratives, defining characters and even providing comic relief. Whether it’s Patrick Bateman’s blood-soaked suits or Barney Stinson’s beloved dry cleaned ties, garment care has proven to be more than just a mundane task—it’s an integral part of our lives, both on-screen and off.
As the garment care industry continues to evolve with the demands of modern fashion and lifestyle, it’s clear that dry cleaning is here to stay. And who knows? The next big Hollywood blockbuster could feature a dry cleaner as the unlikely hero, saving the day one pressed suit at a time.
John Leano works for BRYAN’S Cleaners & Laundry in Pasadena, California. He responds to email: Leano@BryansCleaners.com
