Clean climbing is a style of rock climbing that avoids damage to the rock by eschewing the drilling of bolts and the hammering of pitons. The style became practical with the invention of clean protection: nuts in the 1930s and spring loaded camming devices in the 1970s.

Clean climbing is the preferred style of climbing in most parts of the United Kingdom; British climbers tolerate bolts and pitons on only a few cliffs. In other parts of the world it co_exists with sport climbing.