cleaner

American  

[klee-ner] / ˈkli nər /

noun

1. a person who cleans, especially one whose regular occupation is cleaning offices, buildings, equipment, etc.

2. an apparatus or machine for cleaning, as a vacuum cleaner.

3. a preparation for use in cleaning, as a detergent or chemical bleach.

4. the owner or operator of a dry-cleaning establishment.

   The cleaner said he couldn't get the spot off my coat.

5. Usually cleaners. a dry-cleaning establishment.

   My suit is at the cleaners.

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idioms

1. take to the cleaners, to cause to lose all or a great deal of one's money or personal property, as through gambling or a bad investment.

   He got taken to the cleaners in the poker game last night.

cleaner British  

/ ˈkliːnə /

noun

1. a person, device, chemical agent, etc, that removes dirt, as from clothes or carpets

2. (usually plural) a shop, etc that provides a dry-cleaning service

3. informal to rob or defraud a person of all of his money

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Other Word Forms

• precleaner
  noun

Etymology

Origin of cleaner

First recorded in 1425–75, cleaner is from the late Middle English word clener. See clean, -er ¹

Explanation

A cleaner is either a person whose job involves tidying and disinfecting, or it's a substance used to do that work, like soap. If the cleaner runs out of window cleaner, they might try using vinegar. Professional cleaners might work in people's homes, in which case you might call them housekeepers, or they might work in office buildings, on work sites, or really anywhere that needs to be cleaned. Some cleaners (like dry cleaners) clean clothing and other textiles. Being a cleaner is hard work — and if you've ever watched workers suspended on scaffolding using big squeegees to clean skyscraper windows, you know that it can be thrilling work, too.

Example Sentences

It gives a cleaner look at economic trends.

From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026

Liu Xiaoli, who faces eviction from her subdivided flat, works two part-time jobs as a cook and cleaner to make ends meet after her divorce, and supports her daughter and granddaughter in mainland China.

From Barron's • May 28, 2026

The researchers say Canada may have a unique opportunity to produce cleaner and potentially cheaper hydrogen without depending on hydrocarbons.

From Science Daily • May 20, 2026

Meanwhile the gains—safer cars, cleaner air, longer lives—have quietly disappeared into what we consider normal.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

Their hair was neatly combed, and they looked cleaner than anyone I’d ever seen.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

Related Words

• cleanser
• disinfectant
• soap