A system and method for cleaning mesa sidewalls of a template. Curable material may be deposited in a cleaning drop pattern onto a non-yielding imprint field of one of: a device yielding substrate; and a non-yielding substrate. The template may be brought into contact with the curable material. The template has: a recessed surface; a mesa extending from the recessed surface; and wherein the mesa sidewalls connect the recessed surface to the mesa. A relative position of the template to the cleaning drop pattern may be such that the curable material spreads up the mesa sidewalls and does not contact the recessed surface. Cured material may be formed by exposing the curable material to actinic radiation after the curable material has spread up the mesa sidewalls, and before the curable material contacts the recessed surface. The template may be separated from the cured material.