A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a liquid ejecting head which ejects a liquid from a plurality of nozzles disposed on a nozzle surface; an absorbing member which makes contact with the nozzle surface and can absorb a liquid which is adhered to the nozzle surface; and a pressing member which causes the ink absorbing member to contact the nozzle surface by pressing the absorbing member from a side which opposes a side which contacts the nozzle surface. In the liquid ejecting apparatus, a pressure applied to a nozzle peripheral region within the nozzle surface due to the absorbing member which is pressed by the pressing member making contact with the nozzle surface is smaller than a pressure applied to a region other than the nozzle peripheral region within the nozzle surface.