The invention is to provide an image forming method of a long service life, a high image quality and a low running cost, capable of maintaining a stable cleaning performance over a prolonged period without causing an image deletion phenomenon, even with a image bearing member such as a photosensitive member, of a high durability (high strength and high abrasion resistance). The invention provides an image forming method characterized in that the image bearing member has a universal surface hardness HU of 150 to 220 N/mm.sup.2 and an elastic deformation ratio We of 40 to 65%, and, for a crossing angle .theta. (.degree.) between a rotary axis of the contact charging roller and a rotary axis of the image bearing member, for a ratio A (weight %) of the transfer residual toner and the abrasive particles and for a contact pressure B (g/cm) of the cleaning blade, HU, We, A, B and .theta. satisfy the following relations (I), (II) and (III): (1/6000).times.HU.times.We.ltoreq.A.times.B (I) A/B.ltoreq..theta. (II) 10.ltoreq.B.ltoreq.50. (III)