swab something down
to wash or scrub something, such as the deck of a ship. The sailors were told to swab the deck down each day. Swab down the deck!
swab something out
to wash or wipe something out in order to make it clean. The doctor swabbed my ear out carefully. The doctor swabbed out my ear carefully.
swab something out of something
and swab something Outto wipe or mop something out of something. The doctor swabbed the wax out of my ear. I swabbed out the last of the mud on the floor.