Clean vs Wash

Clean and wash have similar meanings but are used differently.

Clean vs Wash grammar chart showing differences in meaning, usage, and examples, with icons, common objects, and comparisons.

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Clean

We use clean as a verb to talk about removing dust, dirt, or stains from something. Clean can also mean making something tidy or organised. You don’t always need water to clean something.

We often clean a room, a house, a window, a desk, a bathroom, or our shoes.

I usually clean the house on Sunday mornings.
Can you clean your desk before you leave?

‘Clean’ as a noun or adjective

Clean can also be used as a noun (mainly in British English) to refer to the task of making something tidier or cleaner.

I try to give my room a good clean at least once a week.
Anne gave the house a clean before the guests arrived.

We also use clean as an adjective to mean the opposite of dirty.

There was a pile of clean clothes on the bed.
The floor is clean because Mum has just mopped it.

Wash

We use wash as a verb when we use water (and usually soap) to remove dirt. When we wash something, we usually use water first, then soap, and then water again to rinse (=remove the soap).

We often wash our hands, the dishes, the car, our hair, our face, or our clothes.