An image heating apparatus includes a heating rotatable member for heating an image on a recording material in a nip, a nip forming member for cooperating with the heating rotatable member to form the nip, and a rubbing rotatable member. The rubbing rotatable member rubs, by its rotation, the heating rotatable member. The rubbing rotatable member has an elastic layer to provide a microhardness [GPa] of not less than 0.03 and not more than 1.0.