Common Dry-Cleaning Chemical Linked to Liver Damage
Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health
Briana Mercola
4.6 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 25 November 2025
⏱️ 8 minutes
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Summary
- A widely used grease remover and dry-cleaning chemical called tetrachloroethylene (PCE) has been linked to liver fibrosis, a condition that causes scarring and loss of liver function even in people who don't drink alcohol or have obesity
- Researchers found that people with measurable levels of PCE in their blood were three times more likely to have liver fibrosis, and for every tiny one-nanogram-per-milliliter increase in PCE, the risk increased fivefold
- PCE exposure often occurs through inhaling fumes from dry-cleaned clothes, contaminated air, or drinking water, and the chemical can also enter through the skin, affecting the liver, kidneys, heart, and nervous system
- Long-term exposure to PCE has been linked not only to liver disease but also to nerve damage, reproductive issues, and several cancers, including those of the bladder and liver, prompting the EPA to begin phasing it out
- Lower your risk of liver damage by switching to solvent-free wet cleaning, letting dry-cleaned clothes air out before use, replacing household products that contain PCE, and supporting liver repair through clean nutrition, hydration, and sun exposure
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Could a chemical hiding in your closet be quietly scarring your liver, even if you don't drink alcohol or struggle with obesity? |
| 0:07.0 | Welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom. Stay informed with quick, easy-to-listen summaries of our latest articles, perfect for when you're on the go. |
| 0:15.0 | No reading required. Subscribe for free at Mercola.com for the latest health insights. |
| 0:20.0 | Hello and welcome to Dr. Mercola's cellular wisdom. |
| 0:23.6 | Today we're examining tetrachloroethylene, or PCE, a common solvent in dry cleaning and degreasers |
| 0:30.6 | that a new analysis links to a markedly higher risk of liver fibrosis. |
| 0:35.6 | I'm Ethan Foster. |
| 0:36.6 | A recent review of U.S. Health Survey data |
| 0:39.5 | found that adults with measurable PCE in their blood were about three times more likely to have |
| 0:45.0 | significant liver fibrosis. The team looked at 1,614 adults tested between 2017 and 2020, and noted that roughly 7% had detectable levels, evidence |
| 0:58.0 | of ongoing environmental exposure. |
| 1:00.0 | I'm a Lara Sky. The dose response was striking. For every one nanogram per milliliter increase |
| 1:07.0 | in blood PCE, a billionth of a gram per milliliter, the odds of fibrosis rose fivefold. |
| 1:14.1 | That association held across age, sex, race, ethnicity, and education, suggesting exposure |
| 1:20.7 | itself may explain why two people with similar profiles diverge, with one developing scarring while |
| 1:26.3 | the other does not. |
| 1:28.3 | Liver fibrosis is scarring that disrupts how you filter toxins and regulate metabolism. |
| 1:34.3 | You might notice appetite loss, nausea, unexplained weight loss, or weakness. |
| 1:39.3 | If the scarring becomes extensive, it can progress to cirrhosis, which compromises function and raises the stakes for future complications. |
| 1:47.0 | A key finding was that PCE exposure can overshadow typical liver risk factors. |
| 1:53.0 | When this solvent was present, alcohol intake and liver fat associated with obesity did not appear to drive significant fibrosis to the same degree. |
| 2:02.0 | That helps answer a common question. How you could develop liver disease despite avoiding alcohol |
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