cleansing

cleanse  (klnz)

tr.v. cleansed, cleans·ing, cleans·es

To free from dirt, defilement, or guilt; purge or clean.

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[Middle English clensen, from Old English clnsian, from clne, pure, clean.]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	cleansing - the act of making something clean; "he gave his shoes a good cleaning" cleaning, cleanup improvement - the act of improving something; "their improvements increased the value of the property" disinfestation - the activity of getting rid of vermin spring-cleaning - the activity of cleaning a house thoroughly at the end of winter scrubbing, scouring, scrub - the act of cleaning a surface by rubbing it with a brush and soap and water dry cleaning - the act of cleaning (fabrics) with a solvent other than water sweeping - the act of cleaning with a broom purging, purge - an act of removing by cleansing; ridding of sediment or other undesired elements purification - the act of cleaning by getting rid of impurities sterilisation, sterilization - the procedure of making some object free of live bacteria or other microorganisms (usually by heat or chemical means) sanitisation, sanitization, sanitation - making something sanitary (free of germs) as by sterilizing depilation, epilation - the act of removing hair (as from an animal skin) washup, bathing - the act of washing yourself (or another person) housecleaning - the act of cleaning the rooms and furnishings of a house; "efficient housecleaning should proceed one room at a time"
Adj.	1.	cleansing - cleansing the body by washing; especially ritual washing of e.g. hands; "ablutionary rituals" ablutionary purifying - freeing from noxious matter; "filtration is a purifying agent"
	2.	cleansing - acting like an antiseptic purifying antiseptic - thoroughly clean and free of or destructive to disease-causing organisms; "doctors in antiseptic green coats"; "the antiseptic effect of alcohol"; "it is said that marjoram has antiseptic qualities"