Thank you for this post. Have always sensed their subtle differences, but have never dwelt on them...
Below are from web which make sense to me...
"cleanse is something we more likely do to our bodies and our souls - sort of a human thing. Thus we have cleansing lotions for the face and body; we will cleanse a wound and we (well, some of us!) cleanse our hearts in the presence of whatever god we choose to bother.
We clean everything else - cleaning fluids for stovetops and showers. We'll clean the house, we won't cleanse it."
"cleanse originally referred to creating moral or spiritual purity etc (compare the idea of ethnic cleansing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_cleansing); but people marketing various cosmetics have adopted the word cleanse to hint that their stuff can make you clean on the inside, as well as cleaning or moisturising your hands or face. "
"Also, cleanse cannot be used as an adjective.
Examples:
You can say, a clean house, but not, a cleanse house.
You can say, your car is so clean!, but not, your house is so cleanse!
Both words can be used as stated above as a verb."
