List Cleaning

List cleaning is the process of removing or suppressing low-quality contacts from an email database to protect deliverability and improve engagement quality. It typically includes handling invalid addresses, chronic non-openers, repeated bounces, spam complainers, and inactive segments with no recent interaction. The goal is not list size reduction for its own sake; it is sender health and better signal quality for automation logic. Clean lists produce more reliable campaign metrics, lower complaint risk, and stronger inbox placement over time. Effective programs combine automated rules with re-engagement workflows before final suppression. Teams should review acquisition sources and form quality to prevent recurring decay. List cleaning is a recurring maintenance cycle, not an occasional cleanup project.