an ambient air intake system for a dry cleaner is disclosed which draws room air through the access opening when the door to the machine is open and vents this air to an outlet without passing it through the interior tubs which contain residual solvent vapor laden air . to accomplish this an air duct is interposed between the access opening of the cabinet housing the dry cleaner and the open end of the interior tubs , with the duct effectively sealed about the periphery of the cabinet opening and the open end of the outer tub and having aligned openings therethrough to define a passageway through which the clothes are inserted and removed . the duct is connected to an electrically actuated normally closed valve which in turn is connected to the inlet of a motor driven fan , the outlet side of which leads to an exhaust pipe . both the valve and the fan are energized by a door switch when the door associated with the access opening is opened to draw ambient air into the accessed opening , then immediately into the air duct to be exhausted without passing into the interior of the tubs . this minimizes the commingling of the ambient air and the vapor laden air within the tubs to reduce the loss of solvent when the access door is opened .