10 Ways to Say CLEAN

10 Better Ways to Say CLEAN in English (with Usage, Examples & Natural Context)

In English, “clean” is a very small word for a very big idea.

• A kitchen can be spotless.
• A laboratory must be sterile.
• A river can be unpolluted.
• A hotel room can be immaculate.
• And a brand-new shirt can look pristine.

If you always say clean, your English is correct — but it’s also flat and limited.

In this lesson, you’ll learn 10 more precise and natural ways to say “clean”, with clear meanings, real-life examples, and usage notes. These words are perfect for B2–C1 level writing, speaking, and Cambridge exams.

Why this matters (especially for exams)

In Cambridge exams, higher scores come from:

• precision (the exact right word)
• range (not repeating the same simple word)
• natural collocation (words that sound right together)

Instead of:

• The room was very clean.

You can say:

• The room was spotless.
• The room was immaculate.
• The room was spick and span.

Same idea. Much better English.

Clear

Meaning: clean and easy to see through (glass, water, air), without marks or dirt.

• We stored the jam in clear glass jars.
• The water in the lake was so clear that you could see the bottom.

Typical uses: clear glass, clear water, clear air

Dirt-free

Meaning: clean; not containing any dirt (practical, everyday word).

• We keep the table dirt-free by covering it with a cloth.
• The kitchen must be dirt-free before the inspection.

Very common in instructions, adverts, and everyday speech.

Immaculate

Meaning: perfectly clean, with great attention to detail.

• She arrived in an immaculate white dress.
• His flat was immaculate — not a single thing out of place.

Often used for: clothes, rooms, houses, appearance

Pristine

Meaning: extremely clean and fresh, like new.

• He took a pristine towel from the cupboard.
• The car is ten years old, but the interior is still pristine.

Often used for: condition, beaches, nature, objects

Pure

Meaning: clean and not mixed with anything harmful or unwanted.

• They found pure water in the mountain spring.
• The air in the countryside feels much purer than in the city.

Often used for: water, air, substances

Spotless

Meaning: completely clean, without a single mark or stain.

• Her kitchen was spotless after the party.
• He always keeps his shoes spotless.

Very common and very natural in everyday English.

Spick and span

Meaning: very clean and tidy (informal, expressive phrase).

• She keeps her office spick and span.
• The hotel room was spick and span when we arrived.

Great for speaking and informal writing.

Sterile

Meaning: completely clean and free from bacteria (medical, technical).

• All the equipment at the dentist’s was sterile.
• The nurse prepared the instruments in a sterile environment.

Often used for: hospitals, labs, medical equipment

Unpolluted

Meaning: clean and not contaminated by chemicals, waste, or poison.

• This fish only lives in unpolluted water.
• They want to move somewhere with unpolluted air and nature.

Common in environmental and formal contexts.

As clean as a whistle

Meaning: perfectly clean (idiomatic, expressive).

• I’ve washed the dishes — they’re as clean as a whistle.
• The apartment was as clean as a whistle before the guests arrived.

Very nice for speaking and informal writing.

How to choose the right word?

Ask yourself:

• Is this about hygiene and bacteria? → sterile
• Is it about no marks or stains? → spotless, immaculate
• Is it about nature and environment? → pure, unpolluted, pristine
• Is it informal and expressive? → spick and span, as clean as a whistle

Exam tip (B2–C1)

Using precise adjectives like these instead of simple words like clean, nice, good, bad can instantly improve your writing score, make your speaking sound more natural and show a wider vocabulary range.

Learn adjectives to describe a house here