Lavar vs. limpiar
While both lavar and limpiar can translate to to clean in English, they are not used interchangeably in Spanish. The fundamental difference between them is the method used for cleaning, specifically whether or not water is the primary agent.
Lavar
A1This word means to wash. It almost always implies the use of water, and often soap or detergent, to clean something. Think of actions where you drench or submerge something in water to make it clean.
Voy a lavar la ropa sucia este fin de semana.
(I am going to wash the dirty clothes this weekend.)
Tienes que lavar las verduras antes de comerlas.
(You have to wash the vegetables before eating them.)
Mi padre lava el coche todos los domingos.
(My father washes the car every Sunday.)
No te olvides de lavar tus manos con jabón.
(Don't forget to wash your hands with soap.)
Después de la cena, me toca lavar los platos.
(After dinner, it's my turn to wash the dishes.)
Ella se lava el pelo con un champú especial.
(She washes her hair with a special shampoo.)
Limpiar
A1This is a more general word for to clean. It means to remove dirt, dust, stains, or mess from a surface or an area. This action can be done with or without water. It encompasses dusting, wiping, sweeping, tidying up, and also washing.
Necesito limpiar mi habitación porque está muy desordenada.
(I need to clean my room because it is very messy.)
Voy a limpiar el polvo de los muebles.
(I am going to clean the dust from the furniture.)
La enfermera tuvo que limpiar la herida con cuidado.
(The nurse had to clean the wound carefully.)
¿Puedes limpiar la mesa, por favor?
(Can you clean the table, please?)
Usé un paño seco para limpiar la pantalla del televisor.
(I used a dry cloth to clean the television screen.)
Los sábados son para limpiar toda la casa.
(Saturdays are for cleaning the whole house.)
Summary
In essence, use lavar when you specifically mean to wash with water (e.g., hands, clothes, dishes). Use limpiar for the general act of to clean, which can mean anything from dusting a shelf to tidying a room or wiping a counter. Every act of lavar (washing) is a form of limpiar (cleaning), but not all cleaning involves washing.