# clean out

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/clean-out
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to remove everything from a place or container to make it empty and tidy.

For teachers: to empty a space or container completely, typically for the purpose of cleaning, organizing, or removing unwanted items.

## Examples

- I need to clean out my closet this weekend.
- After the old tenant moved out, the landlord had to clean out the entire apartment before the new family arrived.
- The investigators spent several hours cleaning out the filing cabinets to ensure no sensitive documents remained in the abandoned office.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I clean out it." but "I clean it out." — when the object is a pronoun like 'it' or 'them', it must go between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- usually takes a physical container or room as its object.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'clean up' (which means to tidy a mess) versus 'clean out' (which means to empty a space); use a physical bag or box in class to demonstrate the difference.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.