diff --git a/Components/Overlay/src/OgreOverlayElementCommands.cpp b/Components/Overlay/src/OgreOverlayElementCommands.cpp
index 85e2a9994c6..63436cf4868 100644
--- a/Components/Overlay/src/OgreOverlayElementCommands.cpp
+++ b/Components/Overlay/src/OgreOverlayElementCommands.cpp
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ namespace Ogre
             }
             void CmdMaterial::doSet( void *target, const String &val )
             {
-                if( val != "" )
+                if( !val.empty() )
                 {
                     static_cast<OverlayElement *>( target )->setMaterialName( val );
                 }
diff --git a/OgreMain/src/OgreMeshSerializerImpl.cpp b/OgreMain/src/OgreMeshSerializerImpl.cpp
index d1139f9556c..337a063acbc 100644
--- a/OgreMain/src/OgreMeshSerializerImpl.cpp
+++ b/OgreMain/src/OgreMeshSerializerImpl.cpp
@@ -1599,7 +1599,7 @@ namespace Ogre
                                                             unsigned short lodNum, MeshLodUsage &usage,
                                                             uint8 casterPass )
         {
-            usage.manualName = "";
+            usage.manualName.clear();
 
             // Get one set of detail per SubMesh
             unsigned numSubs, i;
@@ -3243,7 +3243,7 @@ namespace Ogre
                                                                  unsigned short lodNum,
                                                                  MeshLodUsage &usage, uint8 casterPass )
         {
-            usage.manualName = "";
+            usage.manualName.clear();
             usage.manualMesh.reset();
             pushInnerChunk( stream );
             {
@@ -3431,7 +3431,7 @@ namespace Ogre
                 readFloats( stream, &( usage.userValue ), 1 );
 
                 // Set default values
-                usage.manualName = "";
+                usage.manualName.clear();
                 usage.manualMesh.reset();
                 usage.edgeData = NULL;
 
@@ -3835,7 +3835,7 @@ namespace Ogre
                 usage.userValue = Math::Sqrt( usage.value );
 
                 // Set default values
-                usage.manualName = "";
+                usage.manualName.clear();
                 usage.manualMesh.reset();
                 usage.edgeData = NULL;
 
diff --git a/OgreMain/src/OgreOldNode.cpp b/OgreMain/src/OgreOldNode.cpp
index aad24a9d43f..c8a3643c21b 100644
--- a/OgreMain/src/OgreOldNode.cpp
+++ b/OgreMain/src/OgreOldNode.cpp
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ namespace Ogre
             mListener( 0 )
         {
             // Generate a name
-            mName = "";
+            mName.clear();
 
             needUpdate();
         }
diff --git a/OgreMain/src/OgreProfiler.cpp b/OgreMain/src/OgreProfiler.cpp
index 65cffe4c5f5..8b43a004f54 100644
--- a/OgreMain/src/OgreProfiler.cpp
+++ b/OgreMain/src/OgreProfiler.cpp
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ namespace Ogre
 
         // empty string is reserved for the root
         // not really fatal anymore, however one shouldn't name one's profile as an empty string anyway.
-        assert( ( profileName != "" ) && ( "Profile name can't be an empty string" ) );
+        assert( ( !profileName.empty() ) && ( "Profile name can't be an empty string" ) );
 
         // this would be an internal error.
         assert( mCurrent );
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ namespace Ogre
         const uint64 endTime = mTimer->getMicroseconds();
 
         // empty string is reserved for designating an empty parent
-        assert( ( profileName != "" ) && ( "Profile name can't be an empty string" ) );
+        assert( ( !profileName.empty() ) && ( "Profile name can't be an empty string" ) );
 
         // we only process this profile if isn't disabled
         // we check the current instance name against the provided profileName as a guard against
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ namespace Ogre
     //-----------------------------------------------------------------------
     bool Profiler::watchForMax( const String &profileName )
     {
-        assert( ( profileName != "" ) && ( "Profile name can't be an empty string" ) );
+        assert( ( !profileName.empty() ) && ( "Profile name can't be an empty string" ) );
 
         return mRoot.watchForMax( profileName );
     }
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ namespace Ogre
     //-----------------------------------------------------------------------
     bool Profiler::watchForMin( const String &profileName )
     {
-        assert( ( profileName != "" ) && ( "Profile name can't be an empty string" ) );
+        assert( ( !profileName.empty() ) && ( "Profile name can't be an empty string" ) );
         return mRoot.watchForMin( profileName );
     }
     //-----------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -572,7 +572,7 @@ namespace Ogre
     //-----------------------------------------------------------------------
     bool Profiler::watchForLimit( const String &profileName, Real limit, bool greaterThan )
     {
-        assert( ( profileName != "" ) && ( "Profile name can't be an empty string" ) );
+        assert( ( !profileName.empty() ) && ( "Profile name can't be an empty string" ) );
         return mRoot.watchForLimit( profileName, limit, greaterThan );
     }
     //-----------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/OgreMain/src/OgreRenderSystemCapabilitiesSerializer.cpp b/OgreMain/src/OgreRenderSystemCapabilitiesSerializer.cpp
index 8ae1e705fc3..ba6d442b6cb 100644
--- a/OgreMain/src/OgreRenderSystemCapabilitiesSerializer.cpp
+++ b/OgreMain/src/OgreRenderSystemCapabilitiesSerializer.cpp
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ namespace Ogre
 
             // skip empty and comment lines
             // TODO: handle end of line comments
-            if (tokens[0] == "" || tokens[0].substr(0,2) == "//")
+            if (tokens[0].empty() || tokens[0].substr(0,2) == "//")
                 continue;
 
             switch (parseAction)
diff --git a/OgreMain/src/OgreScriptLexer.cpp b/OgreMain/src/OgreScriptLexer.cpp
index 9bd4469ceab..b41cf309387 100644
--- a/OgreMain/src/OgreScriptLexer.cpp
+++ b/OgreMain/src/OgreScriptLexer.cpp
@@ -82,12 +82,12 @@ namespace Ogre
                 if( c == slash && lastc == slash )
                 {
                     // Comment start, clear out the lexeme
-                    lexeme = "";
+                    lexeme.clear();
                     state = COMMENT;
                 }
                 else if( c == star && lastc == slash )
                 {
-                    lexeme = "";
+                    lexeme.clear();
                     state = MULTICOMMENT;
                 }
                 else if( c == quote )
@@ -131,13 +131,13 @@ namespace Ogre
             case POSSIBLECOMMENT:
                 if( c == slash && lastc == slash )
                 {
-                    lexeme = "";
+                    lexeme.clear();
                     state = COMMENT;
                     break;
                 }
                 else if( c == star && lastc == slash )
                 {
-                    lexeme = "";
+                    lexeme.clear();
                     state = MULTICOMMENT;
                     break;
                 }
diff --git a/OgreMain/src/OgreScriptTranslator.cpp b/OgreMain/src/OgreScriptTranslator.cpp
index 9d7ed3b8044..c66f08e8502 100644
--- a/OgreMain/src/OgreScriptTranslator.cpp
+++ b/OgreMain/src/OgreScriptTranslator.cpp
@@ -6374,7 +6374,7 @@ namespace Ogre{
                 fsaa = atom->value;
                 break;
             case ID_MSAA_AUTO:
-                fsaa = "";
+                fsaa.clear();
                 break;
             case ID_EXPLICIT_RESOLVE:
                 textureFlags |= TextureFlags::MsaaExplicitResolve;
diff --git a/RenderSystems/Direct3D11/src/OgreD3D11HLSLProgram.cpp b/RenderSystems/Direct3D11/src/OgreD3D11HLSLProgram.cpp
index 748b69c7b1a..889c30c3028 100644
--- a/RenderSystems/Direct3D11/src/OgreD3D11HLSLProgram.cpp
+++ b/RenderSystems/Direct3D11/src/OgreD3D11HLSLProgram.cpp
@@ -1650,7 +1650,7 @@ namespace Ogre
     //-----------------------------------------------------------------------
     void D3D11HLSLProgram::setTarget( const String &target )
     {
-        mTarget = "";
+        mTarget.clear();
         vector<String>::type profiles = StringUtil::split( target, " " );
         for( unsigned int i = 0; i < profiles.size(); i++ )
         {
@@ -1662,7 +1662,7 @@ namespace Ogre
             }
         }
 
-        if( mTarget == "" )
+        if( mTarget.empty() )
         {
             LogManager::getSingleton().logMessage( "Invalid target for D3D11 shader '" + mName +
                                                    "' - '" + target + "'" );
diff --git a/Tools/MeshTool/include/XML/tinyxml.h b/Tools/MeshTool/include/XML/tinyxml.h
index 20f81a8fe86..a225f40eab0 100644
--- a/Tools/MeshTool/include/XML/tinyxml.h
+++ b/Tools/MeshTool/include/XML/tinyxml.h
@@ -1481,7 +1481,7 @@ class TiXmlDocument : public TiXmlNode
     */
     void ClearError()                       {   error = false; 
                                                 errorId = 0; 
-                                                errorDesc = ""; 
+                                                errorDesc.clear(); 
                                                 errorLocation.row = errorLocation.col = 0; 
                                                 //errorLocation.last = 0; 
                                             }
@@ -1739,8 +1739,8 @@ class TiXmlPrinter : public TiXmlVisitor
     /** Switch over to "stream printing" which is the most dense formatting without 
         linebreaks. Common when the XML is needed for network transmission.
     */
-    void SetStreamPrinting()                        { indent = "";
-                                                      lineBreak = "";
+    void SetStreamPrinting()                        { indent.clear();
+                                                      lineBreak.clear();
                                                     }   
     /// Return the result.
     const char* CStr()                              { return buffer.c_str(); }
diff --git a/Tools/MeshTool/src/XML/OgreXMLMeshSerializer.cpp b/Tools/MeshTool/src/XML/OgreXMLMeshSerializer.cpp
index 1289c190e1c..4231bd3288f 100644
--- a/Tools/MeshTool/src/XML/OgreXMLMeshSerializer.cpp
+++ b/Tools/MeshTool/src/XML/OgreXMLMeshSerializer.cpp
@@ -1627,7 +1627,7 @@ namespace v1 {
         const LodStrategy *lodStrategy = LodStrategyManager::getSingleton().getStrategy( mMesh->getLodStrategyName() );
         usage.value = lodStrategy->transformUserValue(usage.userValue);
         usage.manualMesh.reset();
-        usage.manualName = "";
+        usage.manualName.clear();
         usage.edgeData = NULL;
 
         mMesh->_setLodUsage(index, usage);
diff --git a/Tools/MeshTool/src/XML/tinyxmlparser.cpp b/Tools/MeshTool/src/XML/tinyxmlparser.cpp
index bc668da37cc..40139384a21 100644
--- a/Tools/MeshTool/src/XML/tinyxmlparser.cpp
+++ b/Tools/MeshTool/src/XML/tinyxmlparser.cpp
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ const char* TiXmlBase::ReadName( const char* p, TIXML_STRING * name, TiXmlEncodi
     // Oddly, not supported on some comilers,
     //name->clear();
     // So use this:
-    *name = "";
+    name->clear();
     assert( p );
 
     // Names start with letters or underscores.
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ const char* TiXmlBase::ReadText(    const char* p,
                                     bool caseInsensitive,
                                     TiXmlEncoding encoding )
 {
-    *text = "";
+    text->clear();
     if (    !trimWhiteSpace         // certain tags always keep whitespace
          || !condenseWhiteSpace )   // if true, whitespace is always kept
     {
@@ -1291,7 +1291,7 @@ const char* TiXmlUnknown::Parse( const char* p, TiXmlParsingData* data, TiXmlEnc
         return 0;
     }
     ++p;
-    value = "";
+    value.clear();
 
     while ( p && *p && *p != '>' )
     {
@@ -1339,7 +1339,7 @@ void TiXmlComment::StreamIn( std::istream * in, TIXML_STRING * tag )
 const char* TiXmlComment::Parse( const char* p, TiXmlParsingData* data, TiXmlEncoding encoding )
 {
     TiXmlDocument* document = GetDocument();
-    value = "";
+    value.clear();
 
     p = SkipWhiteSpace( p, encoding );
 
@@ -1420,7 +1420,7 @@ const char* TiXmlAttribute::Parse( const char* p, TiXmlParsingData* data, TiXmlE
         // All attribute values should be in single or double quotes.
         // But this is such a common error that the parser will try
         // its best, even without them.
-        value = "";
+        value.clear();
         while (    p && *p                                          // existence
                 && !IsWhiteSpace( *p ) && *p != '\n' && *p != '\r'  // whitespace
                 && *p != '/' && *p != '>' )                         // tag end
@@ -1473,7 +1473,7 @@ void TiXmlText::StreamIn( std::istream * in, TIXML_STRING * tag )
 
 const char* TiXmlText::Parse( const char* p, TiXmlParsingData* data, TiXmlEncoding encoding )
 {
-    value = "";
+    value.clear();
     TiXmlDocument* document = GetDocument();
 
     if ( data )
@@ -1563,9 +1563,9 @@ const char* TiXmlDeclaration::Parse( const char* p, TiXmlParsingData* data, TiXm
     }
     p += 5;
 
-    version = "";
-    encoding = "";
-    standalone = "";
+    version.clear();
+    encoding.clear();
+    standalone.clear();
 
     while ( p && *p )
     {
diff --git a/Tools/MeshTool/src/main.cpp b/Tools/MeshTool/src/main.cpp
index bcc85fef1c9..19cbab15a18 100644
--- a/Tools/MeshTool/src/main.cpp
+++ b/Tools/MeshTool/src/main.cpp
@@ -467,10 +467,10 @@ void buildLod(v1::MeshPtr& mesh)
                 else
                 {
                     std::cout << "Wrong answer!\n";
-                    response = "";
+                    response.clear();
                 }
             }
-            while( response == "" );
+            while( response.empty() );
         }
         else if (askLodDtls)
         {
@@ -490,10 +490,10 @@ void buildLod(v1::MeshPtr& mesh)
                 else
                 {
                     std::cout << "Wrong answer!\n";
-                    response = "";
+                    response.clear();
                 }
             }
-            while( response == "" );
+            while( response.empty() );
         }
     }
 
@@ -523,10 +523,10 @@ void buildLod(v1::MeshPtr& mesh)
             else
             {
                 std::cout << "Wrong answer!\n";
-                response = "";
+                response.clear();
             }
         }
-        while (response == "");
+        while (response.empty());
         if (!opts.lodAutoconfigure)
         {
             do
@@ -545,10 +545,10 @@ void buildLod(v1::MeshPtr& mesh)
                 else
                 {
                     std::cout << "Wrong answer!\n";
-                    response = "";
+                    response.clear();
                 }
             }
-            while (response == "");
+            while (response.empty());
             LodLevel lodLevel;
             size_t vertexCount = 0;
             do
@@ -570,10 +570,10 @@ void buildLod(v1::MeshPtr& mesh)
                 else
                 {
                     std::cout << "Wrong answer!\n";
-                    response = "";
+                    response.clear();
                 }
             }
-            while (response == "");
+            while (response.empty());
 
             numLod = 0;
             while (numLod < 1 || numLod > 99)
@@ -654,10 +654,10 @@ void buildLod(v1::MeshPtr& mesh)
                     else
                     {
                         std::cout << "Wrong answer!\n";
-                        response = "";
+                        response.clear();
                     }
                 }
-                while (response == "");
+                while (response.empty());
 
                 if (lodConfig.strategy == DistanceLodStrategy::getSingletonPtr())
                 {
@@ -829,7 +829,7 @@ void resolveColourAmbiguities(v1::Mesh* mesh)
                 else
                 {
                     std::cout << "Wrong answer!\n";
-                    response = "";
+                    response.clear();
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -847,7 +847,7 @@ void resolveColourAmbiguities(v1::Mesh* mesh)
         {
             if (opts.interactive)
             {
-                response = "";
+                response.clear();
                 std::cout   << "\nYour mesh has vertex colours, which can be stored in one of two layouts,\n"
                             << "each of which will be slightly faster to load in a different render system.\n"
                             << "Do you want to prefer Direct3D (d3d) or OpenGL (gl)?\n";
@@ -866,7 +866,7 @@ void resolveColourAmbiguities(v1::Mesh* mesh)
                     else
                     {
                         std::cout << "Wrong answer!\n";
-                        response = "";
+                        response.clear();
                     }
                 }
             }
@@ -1225,15 +1225,15 @@ int main(int numargs, char** args)
         unOptList["-U"] = false;
         unOptList["-v1"]= false;
         unOptList["-v2"]= false;
-        binOptList["-l"] = "";
-        binOptList["-d"] = "";
-        binOptList["-p"] = "";
-        binOptList["-f"] = "";
-        binOptList["-E"] = "";
-        binOptList["-td"] = "";
-        binOptList["-ts"] = "";
-        binOptList["-V"] = "";
-        binOptList["-O"] = "";
+        binOptList["-l"].clear();
+        binOptList["-d"].clear();
+        binOptList["-p"].clear();
+        binOptList["-f"].clear();
+        binOptList["-E"].clear();
+        binOptList["-td"].clear();
+        binOptList["-ts"].clear();
+        binOptList["-V"].clear();
+        binOptList["-O"].clear();
 
         int startIdx = findCommandLineOpts(numargs, args, unOptList, binOptList);
         parseOpts(unOptList, binOptList);
diff --git a/Tools/MeshTool/src/v1/ReorganiseVertexBuffers.cpp b/Tools/MeshTool/src/v1/ReorganiseVertexBuffers.cpp
index 5b4d137f93b..4d6846b95ca 100644
--- a/Tools/MeshTool/src/v1/ReorganiseVertexBuffers.cpp
+++ b/Tools/MeshTool/src/v1/ReorganiseVertexBuffers.cpp
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ void reorganiseVertexBuffers(const String& desc, v1::Mesh& mesh, v1::SubMesh* sm
             else
             {
                 std::cout << "Wrong answer!\n";
-                response = "";
+                response.clear();
             }
 
         }
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ void reorganiseVertexBuffers(const String& desc, v1::Mesh& mesh, v1::SubMesh* sm
             else
             {
                 std::cout << "Wrong answer!\n";
-                response = "";
+                response.clear();
             }
         }
 
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ void vertexBufferReorg(v1::Mesh& mesh)
             else
             {
                 std::cout << "Wrong answer!\n";
-                response = "";
+                response.clear();
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/Tools/MeshTool/src/v1/SimpleMeshOperations.cpp b/Tools/MeshTool/src/v1/SimpleMeshOperations.cpp
index d9b4e257d95..2efe167e2e5 100644
--- a/Tools/MeshTool/src/v1/SimpleMeshOperations.cpp
+++ b/Tools/MeshTool/src/v1/SimpleMeshOperations.cpp
@@ -50,10 +50,10 @@ void buildEdgeLists( v1::MeshPtr &mesh )
             else
             {
                 std::cout << "Wrong answer!\n";
-                response = "";
+                response.clear();
             }
         }
-        while (response == "");
+        while (response.empty());
     }
     else
     {
@@ -103,10 +103,10 @@ void generateTangents( v1::MeshPtr &mesh )
             else
             {
                 std::cout << "Wrong answer!\n";
-                response = "";
+                response.clear();
             }
         }
-        while (response == "");
+        while (response.empty());
     }
 
     // Generate tangents?
@@ -136,11 +136,11 @@ void generateTangents( v1::MeshPtr &mesh )
                     else
                     {
                         std::cout << "Wrong answer!\n";
-                        response = "";
+                        response.clear();
                     }
 
                 }
-                while (response == "");
+                while (response.empty());
             }
             else
             {