A method for cleaning a deposition chamber (10) that is used in fabricating electronic devices including the steps of delivering a precursor gas into a remote chamber (46) that is outside the deposition chamber, activating the precursor gas in the remote chamber using a microwave generator (48) to form a reactive species, flowing the reactive species from the remote chamber into the deposition chamber via conduit (57), and using the reactive species that is flowed into the deposition chamber from the remote chamber to clean the inside of the deposition chamber.