diff --git a/DLASystem.cpp b/DLASystem.cpp
index cb32911..ae35c41 100644
--- a/DLASystem.cpp
+++ b/DLASystem.cpp
@@ -23,14 +23,6 @@ void DLASystem::update() {
     }
 }
 
-void DLASystem::clearParticles() {
-    // delete particles and the particle list
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < this->particleList.size(); i++) {
-        delete particleList[i];
-    }
-    particleList.clear();
-}
-
 // set the value of a grid cell for a particular position
 // note the position has the initial particle at (0,0)
 // but this corresponds to the middle of the grid array ie grid[ halfGrid ][ halfGrid ]
@@ -205,7 +197,7 @@ DLASystem::DLASystem(Config config)
 // destructor
 DLASystem::~DLASystem() {
     // delete the particles
-    clearParticles();
+    particleList.clear();
 
     if (csv_out.is_open()) {
         csv_out.flush();
diff --git a/DLASystem.h b/DLASystem.h
index 9e3be21..3897383 100644
--- a/DLASystem.h
+++ b/DLASystem.h
@@ -31,9 +31,6 @@ private:
     // list of particles
     std::vector<Particle *> particleList;
 
-    // delete particles and clear the particle list
-    void clearParticles();
-
     // size of cluster
     double clusterRadius;
     // these are related to the DLA algorithm