Theoretical modeling and experimental studies were performed to investigate basic processes underlying transport of model submicron spherical particles in still air and thin liquid layers of variable thickness after their laser-assisted detachment front dry and 2 propanol-dosed Si surfaces. Viscous drag and diffusive Brownian motion were found to mostly, affect transport of nano- and micro particles removed font solid substrates in die used or other viscous media removed by laser cleaning, resulting in their undesirable redeposition. A crucial parameter of particle transport-liftoff distances-has been experimentally measured as a function of laser fluence for these particles using thin 2 propanol lovers, and the distances can be scaled for other viscous media accounting for their corresponding viscosities. Experimental and theoretical results of this work can be related to optimisation of transport processes in laser cleaning and laser-induced forward transfer applications for nano- and micro features of arbitrary shapes.