Temperatures soar at dry cleaners where AC not used

Joan Heider Rauch has worked at Heider Cleaners in Kettering for more than four decades.

In the dry cleaning business, parts of the building cannot be air conditioned due to the “massive amounts of humidity.” They use steam to press garments and get rid of wrinkles. The practice results in more humidity and even warmer conditions.

FORECAST: Few showers possible, slight drop in temperatures

“There’s just too much heat and too much moisture,” she said. “The air conditioning would just never be able to keep up. It’s not practical.”

Workers have boxed fans next to their work stations, and they use bags of ice to cool down when the summer weather becomes oppressive. Rauch said they’ve have gotten used to working in the heat.

“It gets really sticky,” she said. “You feel kind of grungy. You get tired. But it just goes with the season.”

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