clean up — 3 meanings

One phrase, 3 different jobs. Tap a meaning to jump to it — then lock each one in by saying it out loud.

phrasal verb3 meanings

1 make cleanTo make a place or thing tidy and free from dirt or mess.
2 make a large profitTo earn a lot of money, especially in a short time or from a particular event.
3 remove corruptionTo eliminate unethical, illegal, or corrupt practices from an organization, institution, or system, often as part of reform.

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All meanings, in depth

Ordered by how often you'll hear each one — the meaning tells you what it does, the examples and tips show it in use.

make clean

B1clean up sthMost common

To make a place or thing tidy and free from dirt or mess.

We need to clean up the kitchen after dinner.

A: This living room is a mess!
B: I know, let's clean up before our guests arrive.

In my opinion, it's important for everyone in the family to help clean up the house because it teaches responsibility.

Common mistake

✗I'll clean up it later.

✓I'll clean it up later.

With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'clean it up'.

Tell it apart

I cleaned up the mess.

tidied it away

I cleared out the cupboard.

emptied it of unwanted stuff

Use 'clean up' when you want to talk about making a space or object tidy, especially after it has become messy.Not the same as 'clean', which can mean just removing dirt from something specific.

Often paired with

clean up + mess

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make a large profit

B2clean upspokeninformal

To earn a lot of money, especially in a short time or from a particular event.

They really cleaned up at the music festival, selling hundreds of T-shirts.

A: How did your online shop do during the holiday sale?
B: We cleaned up! Sales were way better than last year.

Some people believe that companies should not be allowed to clean up by raising prices during emergencies, as it can be unfair to customers.

Common mistake

✗They cleaned up a lot of money.

✓They cleaned up. / They made a lot of money.

In this sense 'clean up' stands alone (no object) — 'clean up a lot of money' mixes it with the tidying sense.

Tell it apart

They cleaned up at the fair.

made a big profit

They cleaned up after the fair.

tidied the mess away

This is an informal way to say someone made a lot of money, often unexpectedly.Not about making something tidy—this sense is about financial success.

Often paired with

clean up (profit)

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remove corruption

C1clean up sth

To eliminate unethical, illegal, or corrupt practices from an organization, institution, or system, often as part of reform.

The new government promised to clean up the police force and restore public trust.

A: The company has had a lot of scandals lately. Do you think the new CEO can turn things around?
B: I hope so. They really need someone who can clean up the organisation.

If governments are serious about fighting corruption, they must take concrete steps to clean up their institutions and enforce transparency.

Common mistake

✗He promised to clean up with the corruption.

✓He promised to clean up the corruption. / ...clean up the department.

'Clean up' takes the object directly — no 'with'.

Tell it apart

The board cleaned up the company.

removed the corruption

The board shook up the company.

made big disruptive changes

This sense is used especially in discussions about politics, business, or public institutions when talking about removing dishonesty or unethical behaviour. It is neutral in register and suitable for both spoken and written contexts.Unlike the B1 sense ('make clean'), this sense is figurative and refers to eliminating corruption or unethical behaviour, not physical dirt or mess. It is also distinct from the B2 sense ('make a large profit'), which focuses on financial gain.

Often paired with

clean up + institution

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Turn this into speaking practice

Practise one meaning at a time and save the ones you mix up for review.

make clean make a large profit remove corruption