It's a component in some solvents a consumer might use, as you noted, but it's also used in manufacturing, in areas where a trace amount might end up in a consumer product but the major problem is for the people who are exposed to it during that item's manufacture. (or for the people who have to deal with the manufacturer's waste)

Good point about spot cleaning. I didn't know that. Here is what Google told me about it:

    Trichloroethylene has been a long-standing chemical utilized in dry cleaning and spot removal processes, but its safety towards dry cleaners' health has been questioned in recent years. In 2012, California enacted a ban on using TCE or TCE-based products for dry cleaning.