diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/contour.py b/lib/matplotlib/contour.py
index 2f8c934e70b9..f1a502bcf824 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/contour.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/contour.py
@@ -11,13 +11,13 @@
 import matplotlib as mpl
 from matplotlib import _api, _docstring
 from matplotlib.backend_bases import MouseButton
+from matplotlib.text import Text
 import matplotlib.path as mpath
 import matplotlib.ticker as ticker
 import matplotlib.cm as cm
 import matplotlib.colors as mcolors
 import matplotlib.collections as mcoll
 import matplotlib.font_manager as font_manager
-import matplotlib.text as text
 import matplotlib.cbook as cbook
 import matplotlib.patches as mpatches
 import matplotlib.transforms as mtransforms
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
 # per level.
 
 
-class ClabelText(text.Text):
+class ClabelText(Text):
     """
     Unlike the ordinary text, the get_rotation returns an updated
     angle in the pixel coordinate assuming that the input rotation is
@@ -253,11 +253,10 @@ def _get_nth_label_width(self, nth):
         fig = self.axes.figure
         renderer = fig._get_renderer()
         return (
-            text.Text(0, 0,
-                      self.get_text(self.labelLevelList[nth], self.labelFmt),
-                      figure=fig,
-                      size=self.labelFontSizeList[nth],
-                      fontproperties=self.labelFontProps)
+            Text(0, 0, self.get_text(self.labelLevelList[nth], self.labelFmt),
+                 figure=fig,
+                 size=self.labelFontSizeList[nth],
+                 fontproperties=self.labelFontProps)
             .get_window_extent(renderer).width)
 
     @_api.deprecated("3.5")
@@ -267,8 +266,8 @@ def get_label_width(self, lev, fmt, fsize):
             lev = self.get_text(lev, fmt)
         fig = self.axes.figure
         renderer = fig._get_renderer()
-        width = (text.Text(0, 0, lev, figure=fig,
-                           size=fsize, fontproperties=self.labelFontProps)
+        width = (Text(0, 0, lev, figure=fig,
+                      size=fsize, fontproperties=self.labelFontProps)
                  .get_window_extent(renderer).width)
         width *= 72 / fig.dpi
         return width
@@ -419,10 +418,9 @@ def calc_label_rot_and_inline(self, slc, ind, lw, lc=None, spacing=5):
 
     def _get_label_text(self, x, y, rotation):
         dx, dy = self.axes.transData.inverted().transform((x, y))
-        t = text.Text(dx, dy, rotation=rotation,
-                      horizontalalignment='center',
-                      verticalalignment='center', zorder=self._clabel_zorder)
-        return t
+        return Text(dx, dy, rotation=rotation,
+                    horizontalalignment='center',
+                    verticalalignment='center', zorder=self._clabel_zorder)
 
     def _get_label_clabeltext(self, x, y, rotation):
         # x, y, rotation is given in pixel coordinate. Convert them to
@@ -585,6 +583,10 @@ def labels(self, inline, inline_spacing):
             if inline:
                 paths[:] = additions
 
+    def remove(self):
+        for text in self.labelTexts:
+            text.remove()
+
 
 def _is_closed_polygon(X):
     """
@@ -1389,6 +1391,11 @@ def find_nearest_contour(self, x, y, indices=None, pixel=True):
 
         return (conmin, segmin, imin, xmin, ymin, d2min)
 
+    def remove(self):
+        super().remove()
+        for coll in self.collections:
+            coll.remove()
+
 
 @_docstring.dedent_interpd
 class QuadContourSet(ContourSet):
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_contour.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_contour.py
index 2c76f34cb180..a8cd656b1fe5 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_contour.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_contour.py
@@ -682,3 +682,13 @@ def test_negative_linestyles(style):
     ax4.clabel(CS4, fontsize=9, inline=True)
     ax4.set_title(f'Single color - negative contours {style}')
     assert CS4.negative_linestyles == style
+
+
+def test_contour_remove():
+    ax = plt.figure().add_subplot()
+    orig_children = ax.get_children()
+    cs = ax.contour(np.arange(16).reshape((4, 4)))
+    cs.clabel()
+    assert ax.get_children() != orig_children
+    cs.remove()
+    assert ax.get_children() == orig_children