There is no such thing as "clean code", I think its a verb, not a noun. Same problem as being virtuous, there is no such state. But you can attempt to do things well, make moral choices, etc.
Specifically, when we first bang out that initial solution, the code is "dirty". As we refine that approach (better algorithms, adjusting terminology to better accommodate underpaid colleagues), we "clean" it, but the truth is the new code isn't in a "cleaner" state. The little bubble of local opinion might reflect better against said code, but that's hardly an objective measure.
Specifically, when we first bang out that initial solution, the code is "dirty". As we refine that approach (better algorithms, adjusting terminology to better accommodate underpaid colleagues), we "clean" it, but the truth is the new code isn't in a "cleaner" state. The little bubble of local opinion might reflect better against said code, but that's hardly an objective measure.