Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for removing residual toner from a rotatable charge image retentive member, such as a photoconductive belt or drum, consists of an elastic cleaning blade on an elastic support. The elastic cleaning blade includes a resilient leg and an elastically deformable cleaning edge which projects outward from the leg and toward the image retentive member. The elastic cleaning blade is supported at a downstream position relative to the rotational direction of the image retentive member. The resilient leg is caused to curve away from the image retentive member while maintaining the cleaning edge in contact with the image retentive member as it rotates.