Abstract: A system is provided for purging contaminants from dry cleaning fluid used in a machine for dry cleaning clothing while concurrently decontaminating the filter cartridges through which the dry cleaning fluid is passed. The system is coupled in a recirculating loop to and from a machine for dry cleaning clothing. A plurality of filter cartridge housings are employed so that one filter cartridge housing can be selected and isolated from the dry cleaning machine, while the other filter housings remain in the recirculation loop. A portion of the dry cleaning fluid in the selected housing is vaporized within the filter housing while another portion is forced in liquid form through the filter cartridges in a direction opposite to the flow in the recirculation loop. This liquid portion is passed to a separate boiler for vaporization. The vaporized dry cleaning fluid from both the filter housing and the boiler is condensed and passed to a gravity separator, where water is separated from the dry cleaning fluid.