clean up

clean up
clean up phrasal verb (see also clean)
1. to make a place completely clean and tidy:
    We spent all Saturday morning cleaning up.
    clean something ↔ up
    plans to clean up the beaches
    clean up after
    John always expects other people to clean up after him (=to make a place clean after he has used it).
2. to wash yourself after you have got very dirty
    clean yourself up
    Let me just go clean myself up.
    Dad’s upstairs getting cleaned up.
3. clean up your act informal to start behaving sensibly and responsibly:
    Some companies could face heavy fines if they fail to clean up their act.
4. informal to win a lot of money or make a lot of money in a business deal:
    He cleaned up at the races yesterday.
5. clean something ↔ up to improve moral standards in a place or organization:
    It’s high time British soccer cleaned up its image.
⇨ clean-up