This paper describes the cleaning of a 19th-century Northwest coast Native American totem pole using laser radiation. The surface of the pole (carved from western red cedar) was extremely fragile in places, making removal of ingrained surface dirt and residues of previous conservation treatments extremely difficult using mechanical or chemical techniques. Initial tests were carried out to assess the suitability of the laser-cleaning technique. Using laser radiation at a wavelength of 1064 nm in pulses of 10 ns duration, it was possible to partially remove artificially applied soiling from new red cedar without surface disruption at an average fluence below 1.2 Jcm –2. Cleaning tests carried out on a fragment from near the base of the pole were also successful. The results of the cleaning have been evaluated using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results of the initial testing confirmed that laser cleaning was the most appropriate technique for cleaning the pole. A portable enclosure was constructed around a small section of the pole and cleaning was undertaken inside. The concentration of airborne contaminants was measured under working conditions and was found to be well below the relevant safe occupational exposure limits. A team of four fully trained conservators worked in rotation to clean the pole over a period of 6 months.