Cleaning MAF - overall success rate of cleaning vs replacing?

[23109VC]

so assuming it's my MAF... which is sounds like it probably is...

is the best option to "clean" it...or just break down and replace it???

one concern I have is this -= will cleaning it make it work 100% or will cleaning it only be a band aid ona failing part that is already not working at it's proper level?

basically..if I swap out the tMAF for a new one....will my car be at let's say 100% performance, ,but cleaning it will only put me at 95%?

or will cleaning it potentially be a $15 fix that will get me 10-20-30k more miles of 100% perforamnce???

if the MAF is only a couple hundred bucks...I'd change it if cleaning it is a substandard way to fix it..but if cleaning it wil make the existing one perform/work as well as anew one...then i'll clean it and wiagt for it to toally faill......

i don't wan to clean it if that is just going to put a dull shine on an already substandard part..

i don't realluy understnad what a MAF does or how it works. if they wear out and fail..then maybe putting anew one in woudl somehow make the car run better? or maybe cleaning it vs putting a new one in would be totally undetectable by me..and clenaing it might get me 6 montsh to a year of trouble free driving..

i'm not interested in wasting money to repalce somethign that can be cleaned, but I also don't want to try and put a band aid on a fatal wound....

anyone care to offer some advice? tell me what to do?