Liquid/supercritical cleaning with decreased polymer damage

A method for cleaning a substrate having a contaminate comprising:

• contacting the substrate with a first fluid, the first fluid being a densified gas in a liquid or in a supercritical state, for a sufficient time to separate the contaminate from the substrate wherein the temperature of the fluid adjacent to the contaminate is at a value of from about 0.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C. as the contaminate separates;
• removing the first fluid from contact with the substrate and replacing with a second fluid, the second fluid being nitrogen or air as a compressed gas, wherein the second fluid is used to displace the first fluid during the removing and the second fluid diffuses more slowly through permeable material in the chamber than does the first fluid and the second fluid has a temperature about equal to about 0.degree. C. to about 100.degree. C. as it replaces the first fluid and before recovering the substrate;
• and,
• recovering the substrate substantially free of contaminates.