noun
Etymology
Origin of cleanser
before 1000; Middle English; Old English clǣnsere; see cleanse, -er 1
Explanation
A substance you use to scour, scrub, or wash something is a cleanser. Even if you sweep the kitchen floor every day, eventually you'll need to give it a deep clean with a mop and a cleanser. Cleanser and cleaner are very similar, and they can be swapped in usage. However, it's more common to save cleanser for the stuff used to do the cleaning, rather than the person who cleans. You might wash your face with a special cleanser every night, or sprinkle a powerful cleanser in the tub to get it extra clean. And a palate cleanser is something (like sorbet) that clears tastes from your mouth before you taste something else.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Daily Practice Cleanser and Eye Cream “After a horrible stye last fall, I’ve been obsessed with keeping my eyes clean.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026
For instance, the iconic handmaid uniforms of bright red cloaks and white bonnets that obscure their faces were inspired by the image on a container of Old Dutch Cleanser.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 4, 2019
For instance, the iconic handmaid uniforms of bright red cloaks and white bonnets that obscure their faces were inspired by the image on a container of Old Dutch Cleanser.
From Washington Times • Sep. 4, 2019
To celebrate Earth Day, L.A. skin-care brand Youth to the People has launched this special edition of its Superfood Cleanser.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2019
"Dutch Cleanser" is very useful in cleaning dishes, pots and pans.
From Scouting For Girls, Official Handbook of the Girl Scouts by Bacon, Josephine Dodge Daskam
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
