Clean before getting messy (7)

I believe the answer is:

scrubby

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'messy' is the definition.
Both the answer and definition are adjectives. Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?

'clean before getting' is the wordplay.
'clean' becomes 'scrub' (scrub can mean to clean).
'before' becomes 'by'.
'getting' says to put letters next to each other.
'scrub'+'by'='SCRUBBY'

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(Another definition for scrubby that I've seen is " Stunted".)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

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