context: When you work in a restaurant, after the customers have paid the bill and left, you have to clean up the table and prepare it for the next customer.  Sometimes it can be very easy if it was only one person, but if it was a large family it could be very messy.  All the left over plates, cups and utensils need to be cleared away to the kitchen to be washed.  The table top will also need to be wiped down of any food or spills, so it is fresh and clean for the next diners.   And if there are placemats they too will need replacing.  My favorite placemats are the ones you can color in, especially when they leave crayons on the table for you to use.  Once the new place mats are down, a whole new table setting can be done.  Often restaurants and cafes will have a special way they like their tables to be set up and its up to the wait staff to make sure that its done that way for every table.  It may involve fancy folded napkins, or how the glasses or utensils get lined up. Some times it involves a whole new setting of plates, utensils and glasses and other times the table is bare except for the salt and pepper shakers.  But regardless of what the restaurants table set up may look like, the table has to be ready so new customers can come in and enjoy their meal.
question: Did they have to clear the table before cleaning it?
reference: Yes, they clear it.
candidate: Yes they cleaned up the table.