Abstract: A method for cleaning waste particles from the die surfaces of a die press includes providing a blank of material with adhesive layers on both surfaces of the blank; conforming the blank to have a shape corresponding to at least one of the die surface of the die press for contacting at least one of the adhesive layers with waste particles on the die surfaces and thereafter removing the blank from the die surface to separate waste particles therefrom. Apparatus for practicing the method includes a die press with opposed die and tooling components and a press ram for positioning the die and tooling components in a cleaning gap relationship; the press is periodically positioned to receive the blank with cleaning medium thereon in the press throat where the blank covers the press dies to trap waste particles on the surface of the dies during normal press operations and for removing such waste particles when the blank is removed from the press.