Simultaneous interaction of low-energy ions and atomic hydrogen—a process named chemical sputtering—causes erosion of C:H surfaces which is significantly higher than the sum of the individual processes—chemical erosion due to atomic hydrogen alone and physical sputtering due to ions. Above that, this process occurs also at energies below the threshold for physical sputtering. A microscopic reaction mechanism for chemical sputtering was recently suggested. A mathematical model based on this reaction mechanism is able to quantitatively reproduce the energy dependence of chemical sputtering by atomic hydrogen and argon using just one free parameter. The model is briefly reviewed and the underlying physical processes are discussed. We present new predictions for the chemical sputtering of carbon by atomic hydrogen and different ions relevant to plasma–wall interaction in nuclear fusion devices (He+, H+, D+, T+ and Ne+) and new experimental data for the chemical sputtering due to hydrogen and Ne+ ions.