"Green Apple also advertises CO2 dry cleaning on its Web site and in store brochures. But the business actually uses another method, known as the Solvair cleaning system, for most of its CO2 cleaning. As in CO2 dry cleaning, this method uses carbon dioxide to rinse and dry. But to clean, it uses a solvent, propylene glycol ether, rather than liquid carbon dioxide.

The National Cleaners Association and garment care experts like Mr. Sinsheimer said that the environmental impact of the solvent had not been studied, and that its use made Solvair something other than CO2 dry cleaning. ''It's very misleading,'' Mr. Sinsheimer said.

David Kistner, chief executive of Green Apple, said he added the Solvair system in 2008 as his business grew. He said that it was a better cleaner than CO2 for most garments and that he used CO2 only for cleaning ''more delicate'' items, like a vintage gown.

But Mr. Kistner, who has built his four New York City stores and a thriving pickup business at apartment buildings on claims of environmental safety, acknowledged that he should be clearer about Solvair. Although he has explained the method in his company's news releases, he said he was revising the Web site and brochures to give customers more information on the process."

 

I looked into Green Apple Cleaners as there are stores where I live, and also discovered they did not use CO2. Very misleading. I used Parker's Cleaners in Toronto.