diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/preproc/PdePreprocessor.java b/app/src/processing/app/preproc/PdePreprocessor.java
index e6af0e8df..27a28b455 100644
--- a/app/src/processing/app/preproc/PdePreprocessor.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/preproc/PdePreprocessor.java
@@ -334,49 +334,16 @@ public class PdePreprocessor {
    * Utility function used here and in the preprocessor.
    */
   static public String scrubComments(String what) {
-    char p[] = what.toCharArray();
+    List<Pattern> patterns = new ArrayList<Pattern>();
+    patterns.add(Pattern.compile("('\\\\\"')", Pattern.MULTILINE));
+    patterns.add(Pattern.compile("(//.*?$)", Pattern.MULTILINE));
+    patterns.add(Pattern.compile("(/\\*[^*]*(?:\\*(?!/)[^*]*)*\\*/)", Pattern.MULTILINE));
 
-    int index = 0;
-    while (index < p.length) {
-      // for any double slash comments, ignore until the end of the line
-      if ((p[index] == '/') &&
-          (index < p.length - 1) &&
-          (p[index+1] == '/')) {
-        p[index++] = ' ';
-        p[index++] = ' ';
-        while ((index < p.length) &&
-               (p[index] != '\n')) {
-          p[index++] = ' ';
-        }
-
-        // check to see if this is the start of a new multiline comment.
-        // if it is, then make sure it's actually terminated somewhere.
-      } else if ((p[index] == '/') &&
-                 (index < p.length - 1) &&
-                 (p[index+1] == '*')) {
-        p[index++] = ' ';
-        p[index++] = ' ';
-        boolean endOfRainbow = false;
-        while (index < p.length - 1) {
-          if ((p[index] == '*') && (p[index+1] == '/')) {
-            p[index++] = ' ';
-            p[index++] = ' ';
-            endOfRainbow = true;
-            break;
-
-          } else {
-            // continue blanking this area
-            p[index++] = ' ';
-          }
-        }
-        if (!endOfRainbow) {
-          throw new RuntimeException(_("Missing the */ from the end of a " +
-                                       "/* comment */"));
-        }
-      } else {  // any old character, move along
-        index++;
-      }
+    String result = what;
+    for (Pattern p : patterns) {
+      result = p.matcher(result).replaceAll("");
     }
-    return new String(p);
+
+    return result;
   }
 }