The liquid ejection apparatus comprises: a liquid ejection head having an ejection port surface on which ejection ports for ejecting liquid are formed; a wiping device having a blade member which wipes and cleans the ejection port surface; a sliding device which causes the blade member to slide relatively with respect to the ejection port surface; a cleaning capability identification device which identifies a cleaning capability of the wiping device; and a cleaning capability restoration device which restores the cleaning capability of the wiping device in accordance with the cleaning capability identified by the cleaning capability identification device.