Abstract: Methods for metal etching substrates in IC manufacturing, and methods for cleaning processing chamber and substrates are disclosed herein. The disclosed methods reduce the frequency of conventional wet-cleaning processes that must be periodically conducted to clean etchant residues accumulated on the walls of the processing chamber. In an exemplified embodiment, the subject methods utilize an oxygen-containing gas during the dechuck process which reacts with, softens, burns and/or removes etchant residue present on the chamber walls and substrate.