A substrate treating method of performing drying treatment on a pattern-formed surface (Wa) of a substrate, the substrate treating method comprising the following steps: a supplying step of supplying a substrate treating liquid containing a plastic crystalline material in a molten state to the pattern-formed surface (Wa) of the substrate; forming a plastic crystalline layer without bringing the substrate treating liquid into a solid state by cooling, under atmospheric pressure, the substrate treating liquid to a temperature equal to or higher than a temperature that is 5°C lower than a freezing point of the plastic crystalline material in the molten state and is equal to or lower than the freezing point of the plastic crystalline material in the molten state and thereby forming a plastic crystalline layer by bringing, on the pattern-formed surface (Wa), the plastic crystalline material into a state of a plastic crystal being an intermediate phase between a solid state and a liquid state, being softer than the solid state and having fluidity; and a removing step of removing the plastic crystalline layer from the pattern-formed surface (Wa) by changing, under the atmospheric pressure, the plastic crystalline layer in the state of the plastic crystal into a gas state without passing through the solid state and the liquid state, wherein, in the removing step, while the cooling in the forming of a plastic crystalline layer is being performed, the plastic crystalline layer is removed from the pattern-formed surface (Wa) with the state of the plastic crystal maintained at the temperature equal to or higher than the temperature that is 5°C lower than the freezing point of the plastic crystalline material in the molten state and is equal to or lower than the freezing point of the plastic crystalline material in the molten state. a supplying step of supplying a substrate treating liquid containing a plastic crystalline material in a molten state to the pattern-formed surface (Wa) of the substrate; forming a plastic crystalline layer without bringing the substrate treating liquid into a solid state by cooling, under atmospheric pressure, the substrate treating liquid to a temperature equal to or higher than a temperature that is 5°C lower than a freezing point of the plastic crystalline material in the molten state and is equal to or lower than the freezing point of the plastic crystalline material in the molten state and thereby forming a plastic crystalline layer by bringing, on the pattern-formed surface (Wa), the plastic crystalline material into a state of a plastic crystal being an intermediate phase between a solid state and a liquid state, being softer than the solid state and having fluidity; and a removing step of removing the plastic crystalline layer from the pattern-formed surface (Wa) by changing, under the atmospheric pressure, the plastic crystalline layer in the state of the plastic crystal into a gas state without passing through the solid state and the liquid state, wherein, in the removing step, while the cooling in the forming of a plastic crystalline layer is being performed, the plastic crystalline layer is removed from the pattern-formed surface (Wa) with the state of the plastic crystal maintained at the temperature equal to or higher than the temperature that is 5°C lower than the freezing point of the plastic crystalline material in the molten state and is equal to or lower than the freezing point of the plastic crystalline material in the molten state.