diff --git a/Cantera/src/base/xml.cpp b/Cantera/src/base/xml.cpp
index 02b83c335..5c6396fbc 100755
--- a/Cantera/src/base/xml.cpp
+++ b/Cantera/src/base/xml.cpp
@@ -482,6 +482,27 @@ namespace Cantera {
     }
   }
 
+  void XML_Node::clear() {
+    int n = static_cast<int>(m_children.size());
+    for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
+      if (m_children[i]) {
+        if (m_children[i]->parent() == this) {
+          delete m_children[i];
+          m_children[i] = 0;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    m_value.clear();
+    m_childindex.clear();
+    m_attribs.clear();
+    m_children.clear();
+
+    m_nchildren = 0;
+    m_iscomment = false;
+    m_linenum = 0;
+
+  }
+
   // Add a child node to the current node containing a comment
   /*
    *  Child node will have the name, "comment".
diff --git a/Cantera/src/base/xml.h b/Cantera/src/base/xml.h
index 4f48c5505..db4d6ed51 100755
--- a/Cantera/src/base/xml.h
+++ b/Cantera/src/base/xml.h
@@ -380,6 +380,13 @@ namespace Cantera {
      */
     std::string attrib(const std::string & attr) const;
 
+    //! Clear the current node and everything under it
+    /*!
+     *  The value, attributes and children are all zeroed. The name and the 
+     *  parent information is kept.
+     */
+    void clear();
+
   private:
     //! Returns a changeable value of the attributes map for the current node
     /*!
@@ -644,7 +651,7 @@ namespace Cantera {
     //! into the destination XML_Node tree, doing a complete copy 
     //! as we go.
     /*!
-     *  Note this is a const function becuase the current XML_Node and
+     *  Note this is a const function because the current XML_Node and
      *  its children isn't altered by this operation.
      *
      *  @param node_dest  This is the XML node to receive the information