diff --git a/code/datums/components/cleaner.dm b/code/datums/components/cleaner.dm
index 9da8afa6116..50eb48ff985 100644
--- a/code/datums/components/cleaner.dm
+++ b/code/datums/components/cleaner.dm
@@ -88,22 +88,25 @@
  * * clean_target set this to false if the target should not be washed and if experience should not be awarded to the user
  */
 /datum/component/cleaner/proc/clean(datum/source, atom/target, mob/living/user, clean_target = TRUE)
-	if(!HAS_TRAIT(target, TRAIT_CURRENTLY_CLEANING)) //add the trait and overlay
-		ADD_TRAIT(target, TRAIT_CURRENTLY_CLEANING, REF(src))
+	//make sure we don't attempt to clean something while it's already being cleaned
+	if(HAS_TRAIT(target, TRAIT_CURRENTLY_CLEANING))
+		return
 
-		// We need to update our planes on overlay changes
-		RegisterSignal(target, COMSIG_MOVABLE_Z_CHANGED, PROC_REF(cleaning_target_moved))
-		var/mutable_appearance/low_bubble = mutable_appearance('icons/effects/effects.dmi', "bubbles", FLOOR_CLEAN_LAYER, target, GAME_PLANE)
-		var/mutable_appearance/high_bubble = mutable_appearance('icons/effects/effects.dmi', "bubbles", FLOOR_CLEAN_LAYER, target, ABOVE_GAME_PLANE)
-		if(target.plane > low_bubble.plane) //check if the higher overlay is necessary
+	//add the trait and overlay
+	ADD_TRAIT(target, TRAIT_CURRENTLY_CLEANING, REF(src))
+	// We need to update our planes on overlay changes
+	RegisterSignal(target, COMSIG_MOVABLE_Z_CHANGED, PROC_REF(cleaning_target_moved))
+	var/mutable_appearance/low_bubble = mutable_appearance('icons/effects/effects.dmi', "bubbles", FLOOR_CLEAN_LAYER, target, GAME_PLANE)
+	var/mutable_appearance/high_bubble = mutable_appearance('icons/effects/effects.dmi', "bubbles", FLOOR_CLEAN_LAYER, target, ABOVE_GAME_PLANE)
+	if(target.plane > low_bubble.plane) //check if the higher overlay is necessary
+		target.add_overlay(high_bubble)
+	else if(target.plane == low_bubble.plane)
+		if(target.layer > low_bubble.layer)
 			target.add_overlay(high_bubble)
-		else if(target.plane == low_bubble.plane)
-			if(target.layer > low_bubble.layer)
-				target.add_overlay(high_bubble)
-			else
-				target.add_overlay(low_bubble)
-		else //(target.plane < low_bubble.plane)
+		else
 			target.add_overlay(low_bubble)
+	else //(target.plane < low_bubble.plane)
+		target.add_overlay(low_bubble)
 
 	//set the cleaning duration
 	var/cleaning_duration = base_cleaning_duration
@@ -123,8 +126,6 @@
 		on_cleaned_callback?.Invoke(source, target, user)
 
 	//remove the cleaning overlay
-	var/mutable_appearance/low_bubble = mutable_appearance('icons/effects/effects.dmi', "bubbles", FLOOR_CLEAN_LAYER, target, GAME_PLANE)
-	var/mutable_appearance/high_bubble = mutable_appearance('icons/effects/effects.dmi', "bubbles", FLOOR_CLEAN_LAYER, target, ABOVE_GAME_PLANE)
 	target.cut_overlay(low_bubble)
 	target.cut_overlay(high_bubble)
 	UnregisterSignal(target, COMSIG_MOVABLE_Z_CHANGED)