A cleaning method of cleaning a surface of a substrate that is processed by a developing process. The method includes pouring a cleaning liquid onto a central part of the substrate. A dry area that is not wetted with the cleaning liquid is created in a central part of the substrate by stopping pouring the cleaning liquid or by shifting a cleaning liquid pouring position to which the cleaning liquid is poured from the central part while the substrate holding device is rotating. The dry area is expanded outward from the central part of the substrate by rotating the substrate holding device at a rotating speed not lower than 1500 rpm without pouring the cleaning liquid onto the dry area. The cleaning liquid is poured onto an outer area contiguously surrounding the dry area on the surface of the substrate.