CLEAN in WPS on Windows: Introduction

CLEAN in WPS on Windows is a text-cleaning function in WPS Spreadsheet; it includes 4 core tasks, with 4 available without membership and 0 membership-related items.

At a Glance

Metric	Value	Notes
Core tasks	4	Matches the number of rows in the How-to Index
Available without membership	4	Matches the number of Free rows in the index
Membership-related items	0	Matches the number of membership-related rows in the index

About This Feature

Overview

The CLEAN function in WPS Spreadsheet removes nonprintable characters from text. It is useful for imported data cleanup, text normalization, and reducing formatting noise before further analysis.

Core tasks include:

Enter =CLEAN(...) directly in a worksheet cell.
View syntax prompts while typing the function.
Clean existing data by referencing other cells.
Let results update automatically when source data changes.

This function is useful for data cleanup, report preparation, and repeated text normalization in spreadsheets.

System Requirements

Item	Requirement
Operating system	A Windows device that can run WPS Office
App version	The latest version of WPS Office is recommended
Network	No mandatory internet connection is required for local formula entry and calculation; internet access is needed for download, installation, and account-related services
Other	You need to open WPS Spreadsheet and edit worksheet cells

Download & Installation

Before using the CLEAN function, install WPS Office for Windows and open WPS Spreadsheet.

Item	Details
Official download	WPS Office Free Download
Check after installation	Launch WPS Office, open a spreadsheet file, and confirm that you can enter formulas in a cell and view function prompts

Source: WPS download page

Compare with Alternatives

Dimension	WPS	Microsoft	Google	Notion	Adobe
Capability Summary	Supports the CLEAN function in WPS Spreadsheet to remove nonprintable characters from text and works directly in worksheet cells with formula prompts.	Excel provides the CLEAN(text) function to remove nonprintable characters from text.	Google Sheets supports formulas and functions in cells and shows a function help box during editing; its official function references cover spreadsheet functions broadly.	Notion formulas support properties, built-ins, and functions for database calculations, but they are not traditional worksheet cell functions.	Adobe Acrobat focuses on editing and modifying PDF text and does not provide a spreadsheet CLEAN function.
WPS Advantages	Advantage: Works directly in the spreadsheet cell workflow. Distinct: Fits quick text cleanup inside an existing worksheet.	Compared with WPS: It also provides a direct CLEAN function for spreadsheet text cleanup.	Compared with WPS: It supports formula entry and help prompts, but the official guidance is broader and not centered on a dedicated CLEAN article in the same way.	Compared with WPS: It is better suited to database formula scenarios rather than worksheet-based text cleanup.	Compared with WPS: It is designed for PDF editing rather than spreadsheet formula processing.
Official Source	—	CLEAN function	Add formulas & functions	Formula syntax & functions	Edit text in PDFs in Acrobat

Overall Conclusion

If your main task is spreadsheet text cleanup, the CLEAN function in WPS fits naturally into everyday cell-based work. Microsoft Excel offers a directly comparable function, while Google Sheets emphasizes general formula editing. Notion and Adobe focus on database formulas and PDF editing instead of worksheet text-cleaning functions.

Use Cases

No.	Scenario	Suitable For	Main Pain Point	How It Helps
1	Cleaning imported text data	Data staff	Hidden characters affect display and references	Use CLEAN to remove nonprintable characters from source text
2	Standardizing report fields	Office users	Report fields are inconsistent	Enter CLEAN in a helper column to normalize text
3	Combining with other formulas	Advanced spreadsheet users	Text must be cleaned before more calculations	Use CLEAN together with other formulas
4	Filling formulas down a column	Everyday office users	Row-by-row cleanup is inefficient	Enter the formula once and fill it down
5	Checking unexpected results	Beginners	The result looks wrong but the cause is unclear	Re-enter the formula and review prompts and references

Membership & Benefits

Free vs WPS Premium

Capability	Free	WPS Premium
Enter the CLEAN function in WPS Spreadsheet	✅	✅
Basic formula editing	✅	✅
Cloud storage	1 GB	20 GB
Template downloads	Limited	More advanced templates and additional benefits

Source: WPS Office pricing page

Recommendations

Usage Scenario	Recommended Plan	Why
Everyday formula entry and text cleanup	Free	The CLEAN function itself is available for regular spreadsheet work
More cloud storage or broader add-on benefits	WPS Premium	Suitable if you also need more storage and additional office benefits

WPS membership center: Subscribe now