# scrubbing

/ˈskɹəbɪŋ/ (US) · /skɹˈʌbɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/scrubbing
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. cleaning by rubbing

noun · CEFR B1

the act of cleaning something by rubbing it very hard with a brush or cloth.

For teachers: the action of cleaning a surface through vigorous rubbing or abrasion, typically using a stiff brush and water.

- The old floor needed a good scrubbing to get rid of the deep stains.
- After years of neglect, the stone steps required intensive scrubbing with a wire brush to reveal their original colour.

### 2. removing impurities

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a process used in factories to clean smoke or gas before it goes into the air.

For teachers: the technical process of removing impurities or pollutants from a gas stream, often using a chemical solvent or water spray.

- The factory installed a new system for gas scrubbing to reduce pollution.
- The environmental agency mandated the installation of wet scrubbing technology to neutralise acidic emissions from the coal-fired power plant.

## Examples

- The kitchen floor needs a good scrubbing.
- After the flood, the walls required intense scrubbing to remove the layer of dried mud and silt.
- The restoration of the ancient statue involved gentle chemical treatments followed by careful manual scrubbing to reveal the original marble without damaging the delicate surface details.

---

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.