A processing chamber cleaning method is described which utilizes microwave energy to remotely generate a reactive species to be used alone or in combination with an inert gas to remove deposits from a processing chamber. The reactive species can remove deposits from a first processing region at a first pressure and then remove deposits from a second processing region at a second pressure. Also described is a cleaning process utilizing remotely generated reactive species in a single processing region at two different pressures. Additionally, different ratios of reactive gas and inert gas may be utilized to improve the uniformity of the cleaning process, increase the cleaning rate, reduce recombination of reactive species and increase the residence time of reactive species provided to the processing chamber.