Clean may refer to: Cleaning, the process of removing unwanted substances, such as dirt, infectious agents, and other impurities, from an object or environment Cleanliness, the state of being clean and free from dirt
To avoid becoming infected by germs from surfaces and objects, it is important to wash your hands often. It’s also important to regularly clean and disinfect surfaces and objects. Learn the difference between cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing.
Clean is used more generally to address everything from washing to tidying up. Cleanse is used more specifically to address removing dirt or germs, especially via washing, and is also used figuratively as seen in "cleanse the body/mind."