diff --git a/BGL/include/CGAL/boost/graph/IO/STL.h b/BGL/include/CGAL/boost/graph/IO/STL.h
index 7198d8640aa..f2058b59b6e 100644
--- a/BGL/include/CGAL/boost/graph/IO/STL.h
+++ b/BGL/include/CGAL/boost/graph/IO/STL.h
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ bool read_STL(const std::string& fname,
     {
       return true;
     }
-    g.clear();
+    clear(g);
   }
   std::ifstream is(fname);
   CGAL::IO::set_mode(is, CGAL::IO::ASCII);
diff --git a/BGL/include/CGAL/boost/graph/IO/polygon_mesh_io.h b/BGL/include/CGAL/boost/graph/IO/polygon_mesh_io.h
index d60af3c9949..5934821c4be 100644
--- a/BGL/include/CGAL/boost/graph/IO/polygon_mesh_io.h
+++ b/BGL/include/CGAL/boost/graph/IO/polygon_mesh_io.h
@@ -45,25 +45,25 @@ bool read_polygon_mesh(std::istream& is,
   ok = read_OFF(is, g, np, false);
   if(ok)
     return true;
-  g.clear();
+  clear(g);
   is.clear();//reset the error state
   is.seekg (0, is.beg);
   ok = read_OBJ(is, g, np, false);
   if(ok)
     return true;
-  g.clear();
+  clear(g);
   is.clear();
   is.seekg (0, is.beg);
   ok = read_PLY(is, g, np, false);
   if(ok)
     return true;
-  g.clear();
+  clear(g);
   is.clear();
   is.seekg (0, is.beg);
   ok = read_STL(is, g, np, false);
   if(ok)
     return true;
-  g.clear();
+  clear(g);
   is.clear();
   is.seekg (0, is.beg);
   ok = read_GOCAD(is, g, np, false);
diff --git a/BGL/test/BGL/test_Face_filtered_graph.cpp b/BGL/test/BGL/test_Face_filtered_graph.cpp
index 2bab2e1d83c..bc6d1c13880 100644
--- a/BGL/test/BGL/test_Face_filtered_graph.cpp
+++ b/BGL/test/BGL/test_Face_filtered_graph.cpp
@@ -489,7 +489,7 @@ void test_invalid_selections()
   assert(pinched_fg.is_selection_valid());
 
   // this creates a non-manifold vertex (multiple umbrellas)
-  clear(mesh);
+  CGAL::clear(mesh);
   read_a_mesh(mesh, "data/genus3.off");
   assert(is_valid_polygon_mesh(mesh));
 
diff --git a/BGL/test/BGL/test_bgl_read_write.cpp b/BGL/test/BGL/test_bgl_read_write.cpp
index 694c8a9933f..962a53ba541 100644
--- a/BGL/test/BGL/test_bgl_read_write.cpp
+++ b/BGL/test/BGL/test_bgl_read_write.cpp
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ void test_bgl_OFF(const std::string filename)
   assert(ok);
   assert(num_vertices(fg) != 0 && num_faces(fg) != 0);
   is.close();
-  fg.clear();
+  CGAL::clear(fg);
 
   is.open(filename, std::ios::binary);
   ok = CGAL::IO::read_OFF(is, fg);
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ void test_bgl_OFF(const std::string filename)
 
     for(auto f : faces(fg))
       assert(get(fcm2, f) != CGAL::IO::Color());
-    fg.clear();
+    CGAL::clear(fg);
     is.close();
 
     is.open("data/full.off");
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ void test_bgl_PLY(const std::string filename,
   assert(filename != CGAL::data_file_path("meshes/colored_tetra.ply") || (num_vertices(fg) == 4 && num_faces(fg) == 4));
    if(!binary)
    {
-     fg.clear();
+     CGAL::clear(fg);
      is.open(filename, std::ios::binary);
      bool ok = CGAL::IO::read_PLY(is, fg, CGAL::parameters::use_binary_mode(false));
      is.close();
@@ -711,7 +711,6 @@ void test_bgl_GOCAD(const char* filename)
   assert(num_vertices(fg) != 0 && num_faces(fg) != 0);
 
   is.seekg(0);
-  fg.clear();
   CGAL::clear(fg);
   std::pair<std::string, std::string> name_and_color;
   ok = CGAL::IO::read_GOCAD(is, name_and_color, fg);
diff --git a/Polygon_mesh_processing/examples/Polygon_mesh_processing/cc_compatible_orientations.cpp b/Polygon_mesh_processing/examples/Polygon_mesh_processing/cc_compatible_orientations.cpp
index 8a47239c5aa..ceba3dfb22a 100644
--- a/Polygon_mesh_processing/examples/Polygon_mesh_processing/cc_compatible_orientations.cpp
+++ b/Polygon_mesh_processing/examples/Polygon_mesh_processing/cc_compatible_orientations.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ void create_mesh_with_cc_to_orient(Mesh& mesh)
   }
 
   // load the soup into the mesh;
-  mesh.clear();
+  CGAL::clear(mesh);
   PMP::polygon_soup_to_polygon_mesh(points, triangles, mesh);
 }