A polishing method which can prevent a contamination of a release nozzle for releasing a substrate, such as a wafer, from a polishing head, is disclosed. The polishing method includes: polishing a substrate by pressing the substrate against a polishing pad on a polishing table by a polishing head while moving the polishing table and the polishing head relative to each other; moving the polishing head, holding the substrate, to a predetermined position above a substrate transfer device; cleaning the substrate by ejecting a cleaning fluid onto the substrate held by the polishing head located at the predetermined position; during cleaning of the substrate, discharging a fluid from a release nozzle located at the substrate transfer device; and after cleaning of the substrate, releasing the substrate from the polishing head by ejecting a releasing shower from the release nozzle into a gap between the polishing head and the substrate.