This article is about the process of removing unwanted physical substances from an object or environment. For other uses, see
Cleaning (disambiguation).
Cleaning is the process of removing unwanted substances, such as dirt, infectious agents, and other impurities, from an object or environment. Cleaning occurs in many different contexts, and uses many different methods. Several occupations are devoted to cleaning.
Cleaning contexts
Cleaning occurs in various commercial, industrial, environmental, and domestic contexts, which differ in scale and requirements.
Wet cleaning, methods of professional laundering that avoid the use of chemical solvents
Materials and items cleaned
Some items and materials require specialized cleaning techniques, due to their shape, location, or the material properties of the object and contaminants.