NOVELTY - Removing at least one contaminant (115) from a fuel cell catalyst electrode (110), involves contacting the fuel cell catalyst electrode and a getter electrode (130) with an electrolyte; and providing a voltage across the fuel cell electrode and the getter electrode, where the voltage drives the contaminants from the fuel cell electrode through the electrolyte to the getter electrode, thereby removing the at least one contaminant from the fuel cell electrode.    USE - For removing at least one contaminant including metal oxide (e.g. oxide of ruthenium, iron, chromium, cobalt, molybdenum, manganese, magnesium, nickel, osmium, rhodium, tungsten, rhenium, yttrium, titanium, platinum, gold, iridium, or palladium) from fuel cell catalyst electrode such as polymer electrolyte fuel cell e.g. a direct methanol fuel cell useful for improving the performance of the fuel cell (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The method effectively removes the contaminants from the fuel cell catalyst thereby improving the performance of the fuel cell; and cleans the catalyst electrodes. The method provides improved maximum power density. The method improves maximum power density by nine fold by using a membrane electrode assembly having cathode cleaned by the method.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Removing at least one contaminant from a fuel cell catalyst electrode, involves providing the fuel cell catalyst electrode including the at least one contaminant; providing a getter electrode that is electrically connected to the fuel cell electrode; contacting the fuel cell catalyst electrode and the getter electrode with an electrolyte (140); providing a voltage across the fuel cell electrode and the getter electrode, where the voltage drives the contaminants from the fuel cell electrode through the electrolyte to the getter electrode, thereby removing the at least one contaminant from the fuel cell electrode. When the fuel cell catalyst electrode is a fuel cell cathode, then the getter electrode is a fuel cell anode. When the fuel cell catalyst electrode is the fuel cell anode, then the getter electrode is a removable getter electrode other than the cathode.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a schematic representation of a configuration for carrying out the method of removing at least one contaminant from fuel cell catalyst electrode.    fuel cell catalyst electrode (110)    contaminant (115)    substrate (120)    getter electrode (130)    electrolyte. (140)