Our Service | EM Cleaning Hayashi

What Makes EM Cleaning Hayashi Different

■ We grow our own EM
Because we culture EM microbes in our own factory tanks, we can use fresh, living EM generously in every wash.
We first encountered the EM Cleaning Study Group around the year 2000 and have been deepening our research ever since — today our founder serves as vice-chair.
■ EM washing
We use EM in every washing method.

• Water wash (warm water): Uses our own fresh soap (Shabon-dama soap blended with EM), made in-house weekly, at just the right temperature to clean without damaging fibers.

• Dry cleaning: EM is added to freshly distilled cleaning solvent in every cycle, reducing the characteristic smell while preventing shrinkage and loss of shape for a beautiful finish.
■ EM rinse
We add EM to microbubble water, whose fine particles carry EM deep into each fiber. This both rinses away detergent thoroughly to minimize skin irritation, and leaves EM on the fabric so that texture, body, and sheen are preserved — making clothes more resistant to new dirt and odors.
■ Drying and shaping
We choose drying and pressing methods to suit each garment — still-air drying on a hanger, or 3D finishing with an apparel-grade press. Our craftspeople hand-iron each piece, restoring the silhouette as close as possible to its new-from-the-store condition.

EM and Cleaning

Cleaned clothes come back soft and fluffy, feeling great against the skin,
healthy and free of odors. And the water we send down the drain
helps keep the rivers of Ochiai clean. How is that possible?
Because we clean with EM.

"EM" is a natural community of microbes that has the power to steer opportunist microbes away from harm and toward the beneficial side.
Most dry cleaners use petroleum-based solvents,
and if that solvent isn't carefully managed, the familiar chemical smell creeps in.
At EM Cleaning Hayashi, we manage our dry-cleaning solvent strictly to keep it consistently clean.
On top of that, we add our own carefully cultivated EM to the solvent,
reducing the petroleum smell and making dirt easier to lift.

The detergent we use for water washing is an original hand-made soap
built on a base of Shabon-dama soap, with plenty of EM added.
We avoid synthetic detergents and surfactants wherever possible.
For those living with chemical sensitivity, atopy, or other allergies,
we also offer a special course with an extra-generous dose of EM.

Gentle on you, gentle on the planet.
EM Cleaning Hayashi
is a dry cleaner that cares for people and the earth — and listens to customers who simply want to keep wearing the clothes they love for a long time.

A Real Story of
Atopy Recovery Through EM Cleaning

This is the story of a young woman — let's call her Ms. A. Forty years ago, Ms. A was suffering from severe atopic dermatitis. Her worried parents took her to many doctors and tried every treatment they could. Some helped, but nothing was a true cure. The underlying cause remained a mystery.

The cause of Ms. A's atopy turned out to be…

One day, Ms. A's father attended a professional training seminar. What he learned there was a shock. Atopy, it turned out, wasn't caused only by food, genetics, or environment — laundry detergent could play a major role too.
No wonder he was stunned. His profession, after all, was running a dry cleaner.

What brought her recovery?

You've probably guessed by now. That father is Masaharu Hayashi, founder of EM Cleaning Hayashi. And "Ms. A" is his daughter, our current manager, Mayumi.
This is a story from 40 years ago. Rest assured — her atopy has greatly improved. Because afterward, her father experimented tirelessly until every detergent at our shop had been replaced with something truly gentle on the skin.

The early days —
our first shop "Olympia"

Two people from Sakata in Yamagata. They dreamed of writing "Shinjuku" as their address on New Year's cards!
And so they opened a small dry cleaner in Ochiai, Shinjuku-ku, in a previously occupied space.

The Asunaro Group era
"Asunaro Ochiai"

We joined the Asunaro Group, learning cleaning technique and customer service through their training program.

On the radio

Featured on Doku Mamushi Sandayu's radio show.
(Dokumamushi Sandayu)

"EM Cleaning Hayashi" is born

Inspired by our encounter with the "EM Cleaning Study Group,"
we renamed ourselves "EM Cleaning Hayashi."

Why we insist on EM:
To treat precious clothes with gentleness and a soft touch,
we use a generous supply of fresh, live EM cultured in-house,
and our hand-made soap — the only one of its kind in the world —
is crafted with time, care, and no shortcuts.