Cleaning means removing dirt, dust, germs, and other unwanted things from spaces, objects, or surfaces. When you clean your room, you might pick up clothes from the floor, dust your shelves, and vacuum the carpet. When you clean a wound, you wash away dirt and bacteria that could cause infection.

Cleaning can be as simple as wiping crumbs off a table or as thorough as scrubbing an entire kitchen from top to bottom. The word describes both the basic act (cleaning a plate) and the larger process (spring cleaning a house). People clean to make things look better, work properly, or stay healthy. A mechanic might clean engine parts so they function smoothly, while a surgeon cleans instruments to keep patients safe from infection.

The phrase clean sweep means winning everything completely, like a team that wins every game in a tournament. To clean up can mean tidying a mess, but it can also mean making big improvements or profits: a business might clean up by earning far more than expected. To come clean means finally telling the truth about something you've been hiding.