diff --git a/backup-service/backup.py b/backup-service/backup.py
index 075a4ca..0718be0 100644
--- a/backup-service/backup.py
+++ b/backup-service/backup.py
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ def create_backup() -> tuple[str, bytes]:
         config.DB_NAME,
         "--no-owner",
         "--no-acl",
+        "--clean",  # Add DROP commands before CREATE
+        "--if-exists",  # Use IF EXISTS with DROP commands
         "-F",
         "p",  # plain SQL format
     ]
diff --git a/backup-service/restore.py b/backup-service/restore.py
index 23f48fb..f945b81 100644
--- a/backup-service/restore.py
+++ b/backup-service/restore.py
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@
 Restore PostgreSQL database from S3 backup.
 
 Usage:
-    python restore.py              - List available backups
-    python restore.py <filename>   - Restore from specific backup
+    python restore.py                       - List available backups
+    python restore.py <filename>            - Restore from backup (cleans DB first)
+    python restore.py <filename> --no-clean - Restore without cleaning DB first
 """
 import gzip
 import os
@@ -62,7 +63,48 @@ def list_backups(s3_client) -> list[tuple[str, float, str]]:
         return []
 
 
-def restore_backup(s3_client, filename: str) -> None:
+def clean_database() -> None:
+    """Drop and recreate public schema to clean the database."""
+    print("Cleaning database (dropping and recreating public schema)...")
+
+    env = os.environ.copy()
+    env["PGPASSWORD"] = config.DB_PASSWORD
+
+    # Drop and recreate public schema
+    clean_sql = b"""
+DROP SCHEMA public CASCADE;
+CREATE SCHEMA public;
+GRANT ALL ON SCHEMA public TO public;
+"""
+
+    cmd = [
+        "psql",
+        "-h",
+        config.DB_HOST,
+        "-p",
+        config.DB_PORT,
+        "-U",
+        config.DB_USER,
+        "-d",
+        config.DB_NAME,
+    ]
+
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        cmd,
+        env=env,
+        input=clean_sql,
+        capture_output=True,
+    )
+
+    if result.returncode != 0:
+        stderr = result.stderr.decode()
+        if "ERROR" in stderr:
+            raise Exception(f"Database cleanup failed: {stderr}")
+
+    print("Database cleaned successfully!")
+
+
+def restore_backup(s3_client, filename: str, clean_first: bool = True) -> None:
     """Download and restore backup."""
     key = f"{config.S3_BACKUP_PREFIX}{filename}"
 
@@ -79,6 +121,10 @@ def restore_backup(s3_client, filename: str) -> None:
     print("Decompressing...")
     sql_data = gzip.decompress(compressed_data)
 
+    # Clean database before restore if requested
+    if clean_first:
+        clean_database()
+
     print(f"Restoring to database {config.DB_NAME}...")
 
     # Build psql command
@@ -124,20 +170,32 @@ def main() -> int:
 
     s3_client = create_s3_client()
 
-    if len(sys.argv) < 2:
+    # Parse arguments
+    args = sys.argv[1:]
+    clean_first = True
+
+    if "--no-clean" in args:
+        clean_first = False
+        args.remove("--no-clean")
+
+    if len(args) < 1:
         # List available backups
         backups = list_backups(s3_client)
         if backups:
             print(f"\nTo restore, run: python restore.py <filename>")
+            print("Add --no-clean to skip database cleanup before restore")
         else:
             print("No backups found.")
         return 0
 
-    filename = sys.argv[1]
+    filename = args[0]
 
     # Confirm restore
     print(f"WARNING: This will restore database from {filename}")
-    print("This may overwrite existing data!")
+    if clean_first:
+        print("Database will be CLEANED (all existing data will be DELETED)!")
+    else:
+        print("Database will NOT be cleaned (may cause conflicts with existing data)")
     print()
 
     confirm = input("Type 'yes' to continue: ")
@@ -147,7 +205,7 @@ def main() -> int:
         return 0
 
     try:
-        restore_backup(s3_client, filename)
+        restore_backup(s3_client, filename, clean_first=clean_first)
         return 0
     except Exception as e:
         print(f"Restore failed: {e}")