A cleaning apparatus for a liquid ejection head (20, 232), comprising: a wiping web (32, 312) which is configured to come in contact with a liquid ejection face (22, 233) of a liquid ejection head (20, 232) to wipe the liquid ejection face (22, 233), the liquid ejection face (22, 233) being formed with nozzles configured to eject droplets of liquid; a wiping web conveyance device which is configured to drive the wiping web (32, 312) to be conveyed in a lengthwise direction of the wiping web (32, 312); a pressing member which is configured to cause the wiping web (32, 312) to come in contact and pressed against the liquid ejection face (22, 233); an elastic member which is configured to elastically deform and apply a force to cause the wiping web (32, 312) to be pressed against the liquid ejection face (22, 233) through the pressing member when the wiping web (32, 312) comes in contact and pressed against the liquid ejection face (22, 233); a slack eliminating member (80, 280) which is arranged in a front side of the liquid ejection head (20, 232) in a direction of travel of the liquid ejection head (20, 232) with respect to the wiping web (32, 312) to wipe the liquid ejection face (22, 233) caused by relative movement of the liquid ejection head (20, 232) with respect to the wiping web (32, 312) that is in contact with the liquid ejection head (20, 232) and travels by being driven to be conveyed by the wiping web conveyance device, the slack eliminating member (80, 280) being configured to eliminate slack in the wiping web (32, 312) caused by elastic deformation of the elastic member when the wiping web (32, 312) comes in contact with the slack eliminating member (80, 280); and a control device which is configured to control a drive speed of the wiping web conveyance device to drive the wiping web (32, 312), characterized in that: the control device is configured to cause the wiping web conveyance device to drive at a first drive speed when the liquid ejection face (22, 233) is wiped by the relative movement while the wiping web (32, 312) is in contact with the liquid ejection face (22, 233); and the control device is configured to cause the wiping web conveyance device to drive at a second drive speed faster than the first drive speed when the wiping web. (32, 312) is in contact with the slack eliminating member (80, 280). a wiping web (32, 312) which is configured to come in contact with a liquid ejection face (22, 233) of a liquid ejection head (20, 232) to wipe the liquid ejection face (22, 233), the liquid ejection face (22, 233) being formed with nozzles configured to eject droplets of liquid; a wiping web conveyance device which is configured to drive the wiping web (32, 312) to be conveyed in a lengthwise direction of the wiping web (32, 312); a pressing member which is configured to cause the wiping web (32, 312) to come in contact and pressed against the liquid ejection face (22, 233); an elastic member which is configured to elastically deform and apply a force to cause the wiping web (32, 312) to be pressed against the liquid ejection face (22, 233) through the pressing member when the wiping web (32, 312) comes in contact and pressed against the liquid ejection face (22, 233); a slack eliminating member (80, 280) which is arranged in a front side of the liquid ejection head (20, 232) in a direction of travel of the liquid ejection head (20, 232) with respect to the wiping web (32, 312) to wipe the liquid ejection face (22, 233) caused by relative movement of the liquid ejection head (20, 232) with respect to the wiping web (32, 312) that is in contact with the liquid ejection head (20, 232) and travels by being driven to be conveyed by the wiping web conveyance device, the slack eliminating member (80, 280) being configured to eliminate slack in the wiping web (32, 312) caused by elastic deformation of the elastic member when the wiping web (32, 312) comes in contact with the slack eliminating member (80, 280); and a control device which is configured to control a drive speed of the wiping web conveyance device to drive the wiping web (32, 312), characterized in that: the control device is configured to cause the wiping web conveyance device to drive at a first drive speed when the liquid ejection face (22, 233) is wiped by the relative movement while the wiping web (32, 312) is in contact with the liquid ejection face (22, 233); and the control device is configured to cause the wiping web conveyance device to drive at a second drive speed faster than the first drive speed when the wiping web. (32, 312) is in contact with the slack eliminating member (80, 280). the control device is configured to cause the wiping web conveyance device to drive at a first drive speed when the liquid ejection face (22, 233) is wiped by the relative movement while the wiping web (32, 312) is in contact with the liquid ejection face (22, 233); and the control device is configured to cause the wiping web conveyance device to drive at a second drive speed faster than the first drive speed when the wiping web. (32, 312) is in contact with the slack eliminating member (80, 280).