An approach is provided for generating a cleaned object model to represent an object in a mapping database. The approach includes receiving point cloud data depicting the object. The approach also includes processing the point cloud data to determine one or more surface points of the point cloud data. The one or more surface points represent one or more surfaces of the object. The approach further includes cutting a model of the object into one or more fragments using the one or more surface points. The one or more fragments include one or more object fragments and one or more non-object fragments. The approach further includes designating the one or more object fragments as the cleaned object model to represent the object in the mapping database.