Patent ID: 7542694

Claim:
An image forming method using an image forming apparatus comprising a charging device for electrically charging an image bearing member, an exposure device for forming an electrostatic image on the image bearing member, a developing device for forming a toner image by developing the image bearing member, a transfer device for transferring the toner image from the image bearing member onto a recording material by being supplied with a transfer bias, and a cleaning device for cleaning the image bearing member by using a cleaning member contactable to the image bearing member, said image forming method comprising: forming on the image bearing member a removal toner image to be supplied to the cleaning device without being subjected to a charging operation by the charging device after electric power of the image forming apparatus is turned on; applying a bias of a polarity opposite to a polarity of the transfer bias to the transfer device when the removal toner image on the image bearing member passes through the transfer device; and starting the charging operation by the charging device after a leading end of an area, in which the removal toner image is removed by the cleaning device, passes through at least an opposing portion between the image bearing member and the charging device.