How To Use Python String Strip Method – Easy Python Guide

In this tutorial, we’ll learn what Python string strip() method is and how to properly use it. We’ll go through multiple Python code examples to understand how strip() method works.

Introduction: Python String strip() Method

This method returns a string after removing the leading and trailing characters from it and its based on the string passed as an argument to this method.

Syntax of strip() Method

string.strip(str(optional))

• Python string strip method takes a string argument.
• This argument is optional and it specifies the characters to be removed from the left and right side of string.
• If no argument is passed to strip method then only the whitespaces from left and right are removed from string.
• Python string strip method return a new string with leading and trailing characters stripped(only whitespaces will be removed if no argument is passed).

Example 1: strip() Method with no Parameter

print('Python'.strip())
print('Python  '.strip())
print('  Python'.strip())
print('    Python     '.strip())

Output

Python 
Python 
Python 
Python

Python string strip() method remove whitespaces from left and right as no string argument is passed to it.

Example 2: strip() Method with String Parameter

print('xox'.strip('x'))  // x removed from leading and trailing
print('xxox'.strip('x'))  // each and every x is removed from leading and trailing
print('xoxox'.strip('x')) // x removed until a non x character is found
print(' xox'.strip('x'))  // x removed from trailing, leading has whitespace before x
print(' xox'.strip(' x')) // x and whitespace removed as specified in argument passed to strip method
print(' xox '.strip('y')) // nothing removed as y doesnot come in leading or trailing
print(' xoxy '.strip(' xy')) // xy removed from trailing and whitespace removed from leading
print(' xox g- '.strip(' g-')) // g- removed from trailing and whitespace removed from leading

Output

o
o
oxo 
   xo 
o
   xox 
o 
xox

You can try it with other examples to better understand how Python string strip method works with argument.

Example 3: strip() Method Return Value

val=' fffrggxoxhdhrrf  '
returnedVal=val.strip('rffr ')
print(returnedVal)

Output

ggxoxhdh