clean (someone or something) out of (something)

clean (someone or something) out of (something)

1. Literally, to remove some substance from inside of something else in order to make it clean again. Please clean the old paint out of these containers.
2. To remove and dispose of clutter from something as a means of tidying or creating space. We need to clean all this junk out of the garage so that I can actually put my car in it!
3. By extension, to remove someone, usually a group of people, from an organization, especially as a means of effecting sudden or drastic change. After its second year of flagging sales, the CEO cleaned all the upper management out of the head office to bring in some fresh talent.
See also: clean, of, out
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

clean someone or something out of something

 and clean someone or something out
to remove people or things from something or some place. Someone should clean those bums out of political office. Let's clean out the garage this weekend; I can't get the car in.
See also: clean, of, out
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • clean out of
  • swab out
  • you could eat off the floor(s)
  • clean-up operation
  • operation
  • clean someone out
  • clean out
  • clean up
  • (as) clean as a hound's tooth
  • clean as a hound's tooth