{"id":84,"date":"2025-07-15T13:34:46","date_gmt":"2025-07-15T13:34:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/functiontranslator.com\/2021\/02\/12\/clean\/"},"modified":"2021-02-13T11:33:05","modified_gmt":"2021-02-13T11:33:05","slug":"clean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/functiontranslator.com\/en\/clean\/","title":{"rendered":"CLEAN"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today, we’ll explore the CLEAN function in Excel and Google Sheets, an essential tool for tidying up text by eliminating non-printable characters that can disrupt your data.<\/p>\n

How CLEAN Works<\/h2>\n

The CLEAN function is designed to take a single argument: the text from which you need to remove non-printable characters. It processes this input by stripping out these characters, returning a cleaner version of the text.<\/p>\n

Example<\/h2>\n

Consider the following scenario where you have text in cell A1:<\/p>\n\n\n
Original Text<\/td>\nHey! This is a test with some non-printable characters:\u00e0\u0108\u0163<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

By applying the CLEAN function like so: =CLEAN(A1)<\/code><\/p>\n

The result would be a text free from non-printable characters: “Hey! This is a test with some non-printable characters:”<\/p>\n

Common Uses<\/h2>\n

The CLEAN function proves incredibly useful when dealing with text imported from external sources, which often contains non-printable characters. It ensures the text is clean and suitable for further analysis or reporting.<\/p>\n

Implementation<\/h2>\n

To effectively use the CLEAN function in Excel and Google Sheets, follow these steps:<\/p>\n

Excel<\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. Type the text you wish to clean in a cell.<\/li>\n
  2. In another cell, input the formula =CLEAN(cell)<\/code>, replacing “cell” with the reference to the cell containing your text.<\/li>\n
  3. Press Enter to display the text devoid of non-printable characters.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Google Sheets<\/h3>\n
      \n
    1. Replicate the steps used in Excel to enter your text and apply the CLEAN formula.<\/li>\n
    2. The result will update automatically as you alter the original text.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      By mastering the CLEAN function, you enhance your ability to prepare and clean text data in both Excel and Google Sheets, making it an invaluable resource for your data processing tasks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Removes all nonprintable characters from text<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[202],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-84","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-text"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nExcel CLEAN Function \u2013 How It Works, Formula Examples and Syntax<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn what the Excel CLEAN function does. 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