Adaptive cleaning of a media surface responsive to a mechanical disturbance event

Apparatus and method for proactively cleaning a data storage surface subjected to a mechanical disturbance. In some embodiments, data access commands are serviced by a data storage device to transfer user data between a host device and a rotatable data recording surface using a radially moveable data transducer. A media cleaning operation is scheduled and performed in response to the detection of a mechanical disturbance event externally applied to the data storage device. The media cleaning operation involves sweeping the data transducer across the data recording surface from a first radius to a second radius over a selected time duration. The entirety of the data recording surface is swept if sufficient time is available between pending commands to maintain a desired host data transfer rate. Otherwise, a partial cleaning operation is scheduled in which portions of the recording surface are successively cleaned between the servicing of the pending commands.