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A1 verb #1,500 le plus courant 8 min de lecture

putzen

Top 1,500

Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces putzen en 30 secondes

Explication putzen in your Level:

At the A1 level, 'putzen' is one of the first verbs you learn for daily routines. You primarily use it for two things: 'Zähne putzen' (cleaning teeth) and 'die Wohnung putzen' (cleaning the apartment). It is a regular verb, so it follows the standard conjugation patterns. You should focus on the present tense: 'Ich putze', 'Du putzt'. It is important to remember that 'putzen' usually needs an object—you are always cleaning *something*. You will see it in simple sentences like 'Ich putze meine Schuhe' or 'Wir putzen am Samstag'. It is a very practical word for basic communication about household chores and personal hygiene. You don't need to worry about complex idioms yet; just focus on the physical act of cleaning surfaces or teeth.

At A2, you start to use 'putzen' in the past tense (Perfekt) with the auxiliary 'haben' and the participle 'geputzt'. You might say, 'Ich habe gestern das Bad geputzt'. You also begin to encounter separable verbs like 'abputzen' (to wipe off). For example, 'Putz dir die Schuhe ab!' You learn that 'putzen' is used for specific items like windows (Fenster), shoes (Schuhe), and the bathroom (Bad). You also learn the reflexive construction for body parts: 'Ich putze mir die Nase'. You should be able to describe your weekly cleaning routine using this verb and differentiate it slightly from 'waschen' (washing with water) and 'aufräumen' (tidying up).

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At the B1 level, you expand your use of 'putzen' to more varied contexts and more complex sentence structures. You might use it in the passive voice: 'Die Fenster müssen geputzt werden'. You also learn about 'Putzmittel' (cleaning agents) and 'Putzplan' (cleaning schedule), which are common in shared living situations (WGs). You start to see the verb in more figurative or specific contexts, like 'Gemüse putzen' (cleaning/trimming vegetables). You are expected to use the correct reflexive pronouns (mir/dir) without thinking. You might also encounter the noun 'der Putz', which can mean 'plaster' on a wall, leading to the verb 'verputzen'.

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At B2, you should be comfortable with the nuances of 'putzen' versus its synonyms like 'reinigen' or 'säubern'. You understand that 'reinigen' is more formal and used in professional contexts. You also learn idiomatic expressions like 'Klinken putzen' (to go door-to-door) or 'sich herausputzen' (to dress up). You can use 'putzen' in more abstract ways, such as 'den Teller wegputzen' (to eat everything quickly). Your vocabulary includes related nouns like 'Putzfimmel' (cleaning obsession) or 'Putzfrau/Putzmann' (though 'Reinigungskraft' is more politically correct). You can discuss cultural aspects like the 'Kehrwoche' or the importance of cleanliness in German society.

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At the C1 level, you use 'putzen' with precision and stylistic awareness. You understand its role in word formation and can use derivatives like 'abputzen', 'aufputzen', 'rausputzen', and 'verputzen' in their literal and figurative senses. You might use 'putzen' in a literary context to describe a scene or in a business context to describe 'cleaning up' a balance sheet or a department (metaphorically). You are aware of the historical development of the word from 'adorn' to 'clean'. You can use the verb in complex grammatical structures, including the subjunctive (Konjunktiv) or with various modal particles to change the tone of the sentence.

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At the C2 level, you have a near-native command of 'putzen'. You can use it in highly idiomatic or regional ways. You might use it in wordplay or puns. You understand the subtle social connotations of using 'putzen' versus 'reinigen' in different registers. You can discuss the etymology of the word in detail and its relationship to other Germanic languages. You are familiar with rare or archaic uses of the word and can interpret it in classical German literature. You use the verb effortlessly in any context, from a casual conversation about housework to a formal lecture on industrial cleaning processes (Gussputzen).

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Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces

putzen en 30 secondes

Putzen is the standard German verb for cleaning surfaces, teeth, and shoes, implying physical effort like scrubbing or wiping to remove dirt.
It is a regular verb conjugated with 'haben' in the perfect tense (geputzt) and often used reflexively for personal hygiene tasks.
Common contexts include household chores (Fenster putzen), personal care (Zähne putzen), and preparation of food (Gemüse putzen) or clothing (Schuhe putzen).
Distinguish it from 'waschen' (washing with water) and 'aufräumen' (tidying up) to ensure accurate and natural-sounding German communication.

The German verb putzen is a fundamental pillar of daily life in the German-speaking world, primarily meaning 'to clean' or 'to polish'. While it shares some semantic space with verbs like reinigen or säubern, putzen is the most common, colloquial term used for routine household tasks and personal hygiene. It implies the removal of dirt, dust, or grime through physical effort, often involving a cloth, brush, or cleaning agent.

Core Meaning: The act of making something clean by wiping, scrubbing, or brushing. It is the standard verb for cleaning teeth, windows, and shoes.

Ich muss heute noch die Fenster putzen.

Historically, the word derives from the Middle High German putzen, which meant to adorn or to dress up. This origin is still visible in the reflexive form sich herausputzen (to dress oneself up). However, in modern usage, the 'cleaning' aspect dominates. It is an active verb that suggests a process of improvement—taking something dirty and making it shine. Whether you are a student cleaning your shared apartment (WG-Zimmer) or a professional window cleaner, you are 'putzen'.

Personal Hygiene: Crucially, you don't 'wash' your teeth in German; you 'clean' them: sich die Zähne putzen.

Hast du dir schon die Zähne geputzt?

The verb also extends to objects that require polishing to maintain their function or appearance. For example, cleaning shoes (Schuhe putzen) often involves both removing dirt and applying polish. In a more figurative sense, 'putzen' can appear in military contexts (to clean a rifle) or even in sports (to 'clean' or beat an opponent thoroughly, though this is more slangy).

Visual Results: The result of 'putzen' is usually something 'sauber' (clean) or 'glänzend' (shiny).

Nachdem sie das Silber geputzt hatte, glänzte es wie neu.

Die Brille muss ich unbedingt mal wieder putzen.

Das Gemüse muss vor dem Kochen gründlich geputzt werden.

Using putzen correctly involves understanding its transitivity and its specific reflexive constructions. As a regular (weak) verb, its conjugation is straightforward, but its application varies depending on the object being cleaned. It typically takes an accusative object—the thing being cleaned.

Grammar Basics: Conjugation: ich putze, du putzt, er/sie/es putzt, wir putzen, ihr putzt, sie putzen. Past participle: geputzt. Auxiliary verb: haben.

Wir putzen jeden Samstag die ganze Wohnung.

When cleaning parts of your own body, specifically teeth or nose, German uses a reflexive construction with the dative reflexive pronoun. You say 'I clean myself the teeth' (Ich putze mir die Zähne). This is a common pattern for bodily care in German. If you use the accusative 'Ich putze mich', it sounds like you are scrubbing your whole body like a floor, which is unusual.

Separable Prefixes: Common variations include 'abputzen' (to wipe off), 'aufputzen' (to spruce up), and 'wegputzen' (to wipe away or gobble up food).

Bitte putz dir die Schuhe an der Matte ab.

In professional or technical contexts, 'putzen' can also refer to removing excess material, such as 'verputzen' (to plaster a wall) or 'Gussputzen' (cleaning castings in metallurgy). However, for a learner, the household and hygiene contexts are the most vital. It's also worth noting the difference between 'putzen' and 'waschen'. You 'wash' (waschen) things with lots of water like clothes or your body, but you 'clean' (putzen) surfaces, teeth, and shoes.

Imperative Use: Often used in commands to children: 'Putz dir die Zähne!' or 'Putz deine Schuhe!'

Er hat den ganzen Teller in zwei Minuten weggeputzt.

Sie putzt sich für die Party heraus.

Der Fisch muss vor dem Braten noch geputzt werden.

You will encounter putzen in a variety of everyday environments, from the privacy of a bathroom to the public sphere of professional services. It is a word that resonates with the German cultural emphasis on 'Sauberkeit' (cleanliness) and 'Ordnung' (order).

At Home: This is the most common setting. Parents telling children to clean their teeth, roommates discussing the 'Putzplan' (cleaning schedule), or advertisements for 'Putzmittel' (cleaning supplies).

Wer ist diese Woche mit Putzen dran?

In the workplace, you might hear it in relation to 'Reinigungskräfte' (cleaning staff), although they are often politely referred to as such, the act they perform is still 'putzen'. In shops, you'll see labels for 'Fensterputzer' (window cleaners) or 'Schuhputzzeug' (shoe cleaning kit). In a restaurant, a chef might tell an apprentice to 'putzen' the vegetables, meaning to trim and clean them for preparation.

In the Media: Commercials for toothpaste often use the phrase 'Zähneputzen nicht vergessen!' News reports might mention 'Klinken putzen' when politicians are campaigning.

Die Politiker müssen jetzt Klinken putzen, um Stimmen zu gewinnen.

In literature or film, 'sich herausputzen' is used to describe a character getting ready for a ball or a date. In a more gritty context, a detective might talk about 'die Spuren wegputzen' (cleaning away the traces/evidence). The word is versatile and deeply embedded in the vocabulary of maintenance and preparation.

Professional Services: Signs for 'Gebäudereinigung' (building cleaning) are common, but the workers will often say 'Ich putze hier'.

Der Fensterputzer kommt morgen um acht Uhr.

Muss ich mir vor dem Zahnarztbesuch die Zähne putzen?

Sie hat den Fleck mit einem Tuch weggeputzt.

While putzen is a relatively simple verb, learners often trip over its specific collocations and its distinction from other 'cleaning' verbs. The most frequent error involves the reflexive use and the choice of verb for specific objects.

Putzen vs. Waschen: Learners often say 'Zähne waschen' (wash teeth). In German, you 'wash' things that are porous or require immersion (clothes, body, car), but you 'putz' surfaces and teeth.

Falsch: Ich wasche mir die Zähne.
Richtig: Ich putze mir die Zähne.

Another mistake is the incorrect reflexive pronoun. Because 'putzen' is often used with 'mir' (dative) when cleaning one's own teeth, learners sometimes use 'mir' even when cleaning an external object. If you are cleaning the floor, it is just 'Ich putze den Boden', not 'Ich putze mir den Boden' (unless you are cleaning the floor for your own benefit in a very specific, non-standard way).

The 'Nose' Trap: English speakers say 'blow your nose'. In German, it's 'sich die Nase putzen'. Using 'blasen' (to blow) here would be very wrong and potentially sexual.

Hier, nimm ein Taschentuch und putz dir die Nase.

Confusion also arises with 'reinigen'. While 'reinigen' is a synonym, it is much more formal. You would see 'Chemische Reinigung' (Dry Cleaners), but you wouldn't say 'Ich reinige mir die Zähne' in a normal conversation—it sounds like you are a robot or in a scientific lab. Stick to 'putzen' for daily chores.

Word Order with Prefixes: With separable verbs like 'abputzen', the 'ab' must go to the end of the sentence in the present tense.

Ich putze den Tisch ab.

Er hat vergessen, sich die Schuhe abzuputzen.

Man darf die Brille nicht mit dem T-Shirt putzen.

German has a rich vocabulary for cleanliness, and choosing the right word depends on the level of formality, the method of cleaning, and the object involved. putzen is the 'all-rounder', but these alternatives are important for precision.

Reinigen: More formal and technical. Used for 'dry cleaning' (chemische Reinigung) or 'deep cleaning' in a professional sense. It focuses on the removal of impurities.
Säubern: To make clean (sauber). Often used for wounds or technical parts. It is slightly more elevated than 'putzen'.
Waschen: Specifically involves water and soap. Used for clothes, hands, hair, and cars.

Der Teppich muss professionell gereinigt werden.

For more specific actions, consider wienern (to polish vigorously, often floors or brass), polieren (to polish for shine, like silverware or a car), or schrubben (to scrub hard, usually a floor). If you are just wiping a surface quickly, wischen is the better term. If you are tidying up a room, aufräumen is the only correct choice.

Spülen: Specifically for dishes (Geschirr spülen) or rinsing something with water.

Er poliert sein Auto stundenlang.

In a metaphorical sense, fegen (to sweep) is sometimes used for a quick cleaning. There is also the colloquial sauber machen, which is a direct equivalent to 'putzen' and very common in spoken German. For example, 'Ich muss mal wieder sauber machen' is interchangeable with 'Ich muss mal wieder putzen'.

Kehren: To sweep with a broom. Often used for streets or large halls.

Könntest du bitte die Küche fegen?

Sie hat die ganze Wohnung wienern lassen.

Ich wische nur kurz über den Schrank.

How Formal Is It?

Guide de prononciation

Rime avec

nutzen schmutzen stutzen

Niveau de difficulté

Grammaire à connaître

Dative reflexive pronouns (mir, dir, sich)

Separable prefixes (ab-, weg-, auf-)

Passive voice (werden + geputzt)

Modal verbs with infinitives

Nominalization of verbs (das Putzen)

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Exemples par niveau

Ich putze meine Zähne.

I clean my teeth.

Present tense, reflexive 'mir' is implied but often omitted in simple A1 sentences.

Wir putzen die Fenster.

We clean the windows.

Standard transitive use with accusative object.

Putzt du heute das Bad?

Are you cleaning the bathroom today?

Question form with 'du'.

Meine Mutter putzt die Küche.

My mother cleans the kitchen.

3rd person singular.

Ich putze meine Schuhe.

I clean my shoes.

Simple transitive verb.

Er putzt jeden Tag.

He cleans every day.

Intransitive use focusing on the activity.

Wir müssen die Wohnung putzen.

We must clean the apartment.

Modal verb 'müssen' + infinitive.

Putz bitte den Tisch!

Please clean the table!

Imperative form.

Ich habe gestern mein Zimmer geputzt.

I cleaned my room yesterday.

Perfekt tense with 'haben' and 'geputzt'.

Du musst dir die Schuhe abputzen.

You must wipe your shoes off.

Separable verb 'abputzen'.

Sie putzt sich die Nase.

She is blowing/cleaning her nose.

Reflexive construction with dative 'sich'.

Wir haben das ganze Haus geputzt.

We cleaned the whole house.

Perfekt tense.

Kannst du mir beim Putzen helfen?

Can you help me with the cleaning?

Noun 'das Putzen' (gerund).

Er putzt die Brille mit einem Tuch.

He cleans the glasses with a cloth.

Prepositional phrase 'mit einem Tuch'.

Ich putze mir die Zähne zweimal am Tag.

I clean my teeth twice a day.

Reflexive 'mir' + 'die Zähne'.

Putz den Fleck weg!

Clean the stain away!

Separable verb 'wegputzen' in imperative.

Die Fenster müssen dringend geputzt werden.

The windows urgently need to be cleaned.

Passive voice with modal verb.

Bevor wir kochen, müssen wir das Gemüse putzen.

Before we cook, we have to clean/trim the vegetables.

Specific use for food preparation.

In unserer WG gibt es einen festen Putzplan.

In our shared flat, there is a fixed cleaning schedule.

Compound noun 'Putzplan'.

Er hat sich für das Vorstellungsgespräch richtig herausgeputzt.

He dressed himself up really well for the job interview.

Reflexive separable verb 'herausputzen' (to spruce up).

Ich habe mir die Nase geputzt, weil ich Schnupfen habe.

I blew my nose because I have a cold.

Causal clause with 'weil'.

Das Silberbesteck muss einmal im Jahr geputzt werden.

The silver cutlery must be polished once a year.

Passive voice.

Sie putzt die Klinken, bis sie glänzen.

She cleans the door handles until they shine.

Literal use of 'Klinken putzen'.

Hast du die Schuhe schon mit Schuhcreme geputzt?

Have you already cleaned the shoes with shoe polish?

Instrumental 'mit'.

Die Fassade des Gebäudes wurde gründlich geputzt.

The facade of the building was thoroughly cleaned.

Präteritum Passive.

Er musste lange Klinken putzen, bis er einen Investor fand.

He had to go door-to-door for a long time until he found an investor.

Idiomatic use of 'Klinken putzen'.

Sie hat den ganzen Kuchen in Rekordzeit weggeputzt.

She polished off the whole cake in record time.

Colloquial use of 'wegputzen' (to eat up).

Der Maurer muss die Wand noch verputzen.

The bricklayer still has to plaster the wall.

Technical verb 'verputzen'.

Nach dem Sturm mussten wir den Garten putzen.

After the storm, we had to clean up the garden.

Broad use for 'clearing up'.

Sie hat einen richtigen Putzfimmel und reinigt alles dreimal.

She has a real cleaning obsession and cleans everything three times.

Noun 'Putzfimmel'.

Das Gewehr muss nach jeder Benutzung geputzt werden.

The rifle must be cleaned after every use.

Military context.

Er putzte sich den Schweiß von der Stirn.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Reflexive 'sich' + 'den Schweiß'.

Die neue Regierung versprach, im Ministerium mal richtig durchzuputzen.

The new government promised to really clean house in the ministry.

Metaphorical use of 'durchputzen'.

Die Stadt hat sich für das Jubiläum fein herausgeputzt.

The city has spruced itself up nicely for the anniversary.

Reflexive 'sich herausputzen' applied to a city.

Man sollte die Zähne nicht unmittelbar nach dem Verzehr von Säure putzen.

One should not brush one's teeth immediately after consuming acid.

Formal advice structure.

Er putzte die gegnerische Mannschaft mit 5:0 vom Platz.

He swept the opposing team off the field with a 5-0 win.

Sports slang 'vom Platz putzen'.

Die feinen Details der Statue müssen vorsichtig geputzt werden.

The fine details of the statue must be cleaned carefully.

Context of restoration.

Das Unternehmen muss seine Bilanz putzen, um attraktiv zu wirken.

The company needs to clean up its balance sheet to look attractive.

Financial metaphor.

Mit diesem Argument hat sie ihn förmlich weggeputzt.

With this argument, she literally wiped the floor with him.

Metaphorical 'wegputzen' in a debate.

Die Gussstücke müssen noch von Graten geputzt werden.

The castings still need to be cleaned of burrs.

Technical 'Gussputzen'.

In der klassischen Literatur wird das 'Herausputzen' oft als Eitelkeit gedeutet.

In classical literature, 'dressing up' is often interpreted as vanity.

Nominalized verb in literary analysis.

Das unermüdliche Klinkenputzen zahlte sich schließlich in Form von Aufträgen aus.

The tireless door-to-door canvassing finally paid off in the form of orders.

Gerund 'Klinkenputzen' as a subject.

Er verputzte die Nachricht so schnell, als wäre sie gar nicht wichtig.

He brushed off the news as quickly as if it weren't important at all.

Rare metaphorical use of 'verputzen'.

Die Reinigungskraft putzte die Spuren der gestrigen Ausschweifungen weg.

The cleaner wiped away the traces of yesterday's debauchery.

Elevated vocabulary 'Ausschweifungen'.

Die Zähne zu putzen ist ein Akt der Zivilisation, der oft unterschätzt wird.

Brushing one's teeth is an act of civilization that is often underestimated.

Infinitive clause as subject.

Sie putzte sich die Schuhe an seinem Ruf ab.

She metaphorically wiped her shoes on his reputation (treated him with contempt).

Highly idiomatic/metaphorical.

Das Putzen der Optik erfordert höchste Präzision und Reinraumqualität.

Cleaning the optics requires the highest precision and cleanroom quality.

Technical/Scientific register.

Er hat die ganze Kritik einfach weggeputzt.

He simply brushed aside all the criticism.

Metaphorical 'wegputzen'.

Collocations courantes

Zähne putzen

Fenster putzen

Schuhe putzen

Klinken putzen

Nase putzen

Wohnung putzen

Bad putzen

Gemüse putzen

Silber putzen

Brille putzen

Phrases Courantes

Zähne putzen nicht vergessen!

Die Wohnung blitzt und blank geputzt.

Klinken putzen gehen.

Sich herausputzen.

Alles wegputzen.

Den Putz von der Wand klopfen.

Die Nase putzen.

Schuhe abputzen!

Einmal gründlich durchputzen.

Das putzt ungemein!

Souvent confondu avec

putzen vs waschen

putzen vs aufräumen

putzen vs putzig

Expressions idiomatiques

"Klinken putzen (to go door-to-door)"

"Sich herausputzen (to dress up/spruce up)"

"Etwas wegputzen (to eat something up quickly)"

"Jemanden vom Platz putzen (to beat someone decisively in sports)"

"Die Platte putzen (to run away/disappear)"

"Einen wegputzen (to drink a glass of alcohol quickly)"

"Sich die Schuhe an jemandem abputzen (to treat someone with contempt)"

"Den Putz von der Wand hauen (to party hard/be extravagant)"

"Geputzt und gestriegelt (neat and tidy)"

"Das putzt die Nebenhöhlen (that clears the sinuses)"

Facile à confondre

putzen vs

Structures de phrases

Famille de mots

Noms

der Putz

die Putzfrau

der Putzmann

das Putzmittel

der Putzlappen

die Putzerei

Verbes

abputzen

aufputzen

herausputzen

verputzen

wegputzen

durchputzen

Adjectifs

geputzt

putzig (note: means cute, unrelated to cleaning)

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Comment l'utiliser

nose

Use 'putzen' for blowing your nose.

teeth

Always use 'putzen', never 'waschen'.

metaphor

'Wegputzen' can mean to eliminate or eat up.

Erreurs courantes

Ich wasche meine Zähne.
In German, you clean (putzen) teeth, you don't wash (waschen) them.
Ich putze mein Zimmer.
If you mean tidying up, use 'aufräumen'. If you mean scrubbing the floor/dusting, use 'putzen'.
Ich putze mich die Nase.
Use the dative reflexive pronoun 'mir', not the accusative 'mich'.
Er hat das Fenster geputzt ab.
In the perfect tense, the prefix 'ab-' stays attached to the participle 'geputzt'.
Ich putze die Geschirr.
For dishes, the specific verb is 'spülen' or 'abwaschen'.

Astuces

Reflexive Pronouns

When cleaning your own body parts (teeth, nose), use the dative reflexive pronoun: mir, dir, sich, uns, euch, sich. This is a very common pattern in German hygiene verbs.

Putzen vs. Wischen

Use 'putzen' for a thorough clean or scrubbing. Use 'wischen' for a quick wipe with a damp cloth. 'Wischen' is also used for mopping the floor (den Boden wischen).

The Putzplan

If you live in a shared apartment (WG) in Germany, expect a 'Putzplan'. It's a serious document! Ignoring it can lead to major conflicts with your roommates.

Shoe Cleaning

Germans often take pride in clean shoes. 'Schuhe putzen' involves removing dirt and then 'polieren' (polishing) them. It's a common Sunday activity for some.

Wegputzen

If you see someone eating a pizza in 30 seconds, you can say 'Er hat die Pizza einfach weggeputzt'. It's a fun, casual way to say they devoured it.

Reinigungskraft

While 'Putzfrau' is common, in professional settings or job ads, you will see 'Reinigungskraft' or 'Raumpfleger'. It is more respectful and gender-neutral.

Klinken putzen

This idiom is great for business contexts. If a startup is looking for customers, they are 'Klinken putzen'. It implies hard, repetitive work to get noticed.

Dental Care

In Germany, 'Zähneputzen' is a big deal. Dentists recommend doing it for 3 minutes. You will often hear 'Hast du dir auch gründlich die Zähne geputzt?'

Adornment

Remember that 'putzen' used to mean 'to adorn'. This helps you remember 'sich herausputzen' (to dress up). Cleaning is just making something 'pretty' again!

No 'Wash' for Teeth

Never say 'Zähne waschen'. It's the number one mistake for English speakers. Always 'putzen'!

Mémorise-le

Origine du mot

Middle High German 'putzen'

Contexte culturel

A common term, though 'Reinigungskraft' is preferred in formal settings.

A traditional duty in Southern Germany to clean communal areas.

The annual tradition of deep-cleaning the home in spring.

Pratique dans la vie réelle

Contextes réels

Amorces de conversation

"Wie oft putzt du deine Fenster?"

"Hast du einen festen Putzplan in deiner WG?"

"Welches Putzmittel ist das beste für Kalk?"

"Putzt du dir die Zähne vor oder nach dem Frühstück?"

"Musstest du schon mal Klinken putzen für einen Job?"

Sujets d'écriture

Beschreibe deine wöchentliche Putzroutine.

Was putzt du am liebsten und was gar nicht?

Warum ist Sauberkeit für viele Menschen wichtig?

Erzähle von einem Tag, an dem du dich richtig herausgeputzt hast.

Gibt es in deinem Land so etwas wie die deutsche Kehrwoche?

Questions fréquentes

10 questions

No, that sounds very strange in German. You must use 'Ich putze mir die Zähne'. 'Waschen' is reserved for things like hands, face, or clothes where water is the main element.

'Putzen' is the everyday word for cleaning at home. 'Reinigen' is more formal, professional, or technical. You 'putz' your bathroom, but a company 'reinigt' an office building.

Mostly, yes. But it also means 'to polish' (like shoes or silver). It can also mean 'to trim' vegetables or 'to dress up' (reflexive).

It's an idiom meaning to go from door to door, usually to sell something or to ask for support. It literally means 'cleaning door handles'.

It is a regular verb. In the Perfekt, it is 'habe geputzt'. In the Präteritum, it is 'putzte'.

Yes, in standard German you say 'Ich putze mir die Zähne'. The 'mir' shows that you are doing it to your own teeth.

It's a colloquial term for someone who is obsessed with cleaning everything all the time.

Yes, 'Gemüse putzen' means to clean and trim vegetables, like removing the ends of beans or washing dirt off carrots.

It means to dress up very nicely, usually for a special occasion like a wedding or a party.

It is a weak (regular) verb. It does not change its stem vowel.

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