diff --git a/lib/atc/Makefile.icc b/lib/atc/Makefile.icc
index 502f103ba4..59be520b4b 100644
--- a/lib/atc/Makefile.icc
+++ b/lib/atc/Makefile.icc
@@ -48,4 +48,4 @@ DEPENDS = $(OBJ:.o=.d)
 # ------ CLEAN ------
 
 clean:
-	rm *.o *.d *~ $(LIB)
+	-rm *.o *.d *~ $(LIB)
diff --git a/lib/atc/Makefile.mingw32-cross b/lib/atc/Makefile.mingw32-cross
index 49795f1fd2..8b33540981 100644
--- a/lib/atc/Makefile.mingw32-cross
+++ b/lib/atc/Makefile.mingw32-cross
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ DEPENDS = $(OBJ:.o=.d)
 # ------ CLEAN ------
 
 clean:
-	rm $(DIR)*.o $(DIR)*.d *~ $(LIB)
+	-rm $(DIR)*.o $(DIR)*.d *~ $(LIB)
 
 $(DEPENDS) : $(DIR)
 sinclude $(DEPENDS)
diff --git a/lib/atc/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi b/lib/atc/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi
index 522a394dc0..c5feeca81a 100644
--- a/lib/atc/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi
+++ b/lib/atc/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ DEPENDS = $(OBJ:.o=.d)
 # ------ CLEAN ------
 
 clean:
-	rm $(DIR)*.o $(DIR)*.d *~ $(LIB)
+	-rm $(DIR)*.o $(DIR)*.d *~ $(LIB)
 
 $(DEPENDS) : $(DIR)
 sinclude $(DEPENDS)
diff --git a/lib/atc/Makefile.mingw64-cross b/lib/atc/Makefile.mingw64-cross
index 2dfdf6fe80..fbd3a02610 100644
--- a/lib/atc/Makefile.mingw64-cross
+++ b/lib/atc/Makefile.mingw64-cross
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ DEPENDS = $(OBJ:.o=.d)
 # ------ CLEAN ------
 
 clean:
-	rm $(DIR)*.o $(DIR)*.d *~ $(LIB)
+	-rm $(DIR)*.o $(DIR)*.d *~ $(LIB)
 
 $(DEPENDS) : $(DIR)
 sinclude $(DEPENDS)
diff --git a/lib/atc/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi b/lib/atc/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi
index 935d86ba25..f8dd64eae3 100644
--- a/lib/atc/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi
+++ b/lib/atc/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ DEPENDS = $(OBJ:.o=.d)
 # ------ CLEAN ------
 
 clean:
-	rm $(DIR)*.o $(DIR)*.d *~ $(LIB)
+	-rm $(DIR)*.o $(DIR)*.d *~ $(LIB)
 
 $(DEPENDS) : $(DIR)
 sinclude $(DEPENDS)
diff --git a/lib/atc/Makefile.mpic++ b/lib/atc/Makefile.mpic++
index 982deac5d3..c9dfdb79c9 100644
--- a/lib/atc/Makefile.mpic++
+++ b/lib/atc/Makefile.mpic++
@@ -34,6 +34,6 @@ lib: 	$(OBJ)
 DEPENDS = $(OBJ:.o=.d)
 # ------ CLEAN ------
 clean:
-	@rm *.o *.d *~ $(LIB)
+	-rm *.o *.d *~ $(LIB)
 
 sinclude $(DEPENDS)
diff --git a/lib/atc/Makefile.serial b/lib/atc/Makefile.serial
index 8204430c81..44ce5fd341 100644
--- a/lib/atc/Makefile.serial
+++ b/lib/atc/Makefile.serial
@@ -46,6 +46,6 @@ DEPENDS = $(OBJ:.o=.d)
 # ------ CLEAN ------
 
 clean:
-	@rm *.o *.d *~ $(LIB)
+	-rm *.o *.d *~ $(LIB)
 
 sinclude $(DEPENDS)
diff --git a/lib/awpmd/Makefile.mingw32-cross b/lib/awpmd/Makefile.mingw32-cross
index af66187b89..6a93987173 100644
--- a/lib/awpmd/Makefile.mingw32-cross
+++ b/lib/awpmd/Makefile.mingw32-cross
@@ -77,4 +77,4 @@ DEPENDS = $(OBJ:.o=.d)
 # ------ CLEAN ------
 
 clean:
-	rm *.d *~ $(OBJ) $(LIB)
+	-rm *.d *~ $(OBJ) $(LIB)
diff --git a/lib/awpmd/Makefile.mingw64-cross b/lib/awpmd/Makefile.mingw64-cross
index f1df999bab..1f3e608129 100644
--- a/lib/awpmd/Makefile.mingw64-cross
+++ b/lib/awpmd/Makefile.mingw64-cross
@@ -76,4 +76,4 @@ DEPENDS = $(OBJ:.o=.d)
 # ------ CLEAN ------
 
 clean:
-	rm *.d *~ $(OBJ) $(LIB)
+	-rm *.d *~ $(OBJ) $(LIB)
diff --git a/lib/awpmd/Makefile.mpicc b/lib/awpmd/Makefile.mpicc
index c1a6f3c01d..4c289ad88a 100644
--- a/lib/awpmd/Makefile.mpicc
+++ b/lib/awpmd/Makefile.mpicc
@@ -66,4 +66,4 @@ DEPENDS = $(OBJ:.o=.d)
 # ------ CLEAN ------
 
 clean:
-	rm *.d *~ $(OBJ) $(LIB)
+	-rm *.d *~ $(OBJ) $(LIB)
diff --git a/lib/colvars/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi b/lib/colvars/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi
index cc2a76111a..1e35c5b461 100644
--- a/lib/colvars/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi
+++ b/lib/colvars/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ SHELL=/bin/sh
 
 all:
 	$(MAKE) $(MFLAGS) mingw32-cross
-	rm -f Obj_mingw32-mpi
+	-rm -f Obj_mingw32-mpi
 	ln -s Obj_mingw32 Obj_mingw32-mpi
 
 clean:
 	$(MAKE) $(MFLAGS) clean-mingw32-cross
-	rm -f Obj_mingw32-mpi
+	-rm -f Obj_mingw32-mpi
 
diff --git a/lib/colvars/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi b/lib/colvars/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi
index 1ec1a0995b..ca6f4a6d43 100644
--- a/lib/colvars/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi
+++ b/lib/colvars/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ SHELL=/bin/sh
 
 all:
 	$(MAKE) $(MFLAGS) mingw64-cross
-	rm -f Obj_mingw64-mpi
+	-rm -f Obj_mingw64-mpi
 	ln -s Obj_mingw64 Obj_mingw64-mpi
 
 clean:
 	$(MAKE) $(MFLAGS) clean-mingw64-cross
-	rm -f Obj_mingw64-mpi
+	-rm -f Obj_mingw64-mpi
 
diff --git a/lib/gpu/Nvidia.makefile b/lib/gpu/Nvidia.makefile
index 18efbda55a..e02849cfed 100644
--- a/lib/gpu/Nvidia.makefile
+++ b/lib/gpu/Nvidia.makefile
@@ -789,10 +789,10 @@ $(GPU_LIB): $(OBJS) $(CUDPP)
 	@cp $(EXTRAMAKE) Makefile.lammps
 
 clean:
-	rm -f $(EXECS) $(GPU_LIB) $(OBJS) $(CUDPP) $(CBNS) *.linkinfo
+	-rm -f $(EXECS) $(GPU_LIB) $(OBJS) $(CUDPP) $(CBNS) *.linkinfo
 
 veryclean: clean
-	rm -rf *~ *.linkinfo
+	-rm -rf *~ *.linkinfo
 
 cleanlib:
-	rm -f $(EXECS) $(GPU_LIB) $(OBJS) $(CBNS) *.linkinfo
+	-rm -f $(EXECS) $(GPU_LIB) $(OBJS) $(CBNS) *.linkinfo
diff --git a/lib/gpu/Opencl.makefile b/lib/gpu/Opencl.makefile
index b33a392242..7ef1dfba0c 100644
--- a/lib/gpu/Opencl.makefile
+++ b/lib/gpu/Opencl.makefile
@@ -577,8 +577,8 @@ $(OCL_LIB): $(OBJS) $(PTXS)
 opencl: $(OCL_EXECS)
 
 clean:
-	rm -rf $(EXECS) $(OCL_EXECS) $(OCL_LIB) $(OBJS) $(KERS) *.linkinfo
+	-rm -rf $(EXECS) $(OCL_EXECS) $(OCL_LIB) $(OBJS) $(KERS) *.linkinfo
 
 veryclean: clean
-	rm -rf *~ *.linkinfo
+	-rm -rf *~ *.linkinfo
 
diff --git a/lib/kokkos/Makefile.kokkos b/lib/kokkos/Makefile.kokkos
index c01ceaf64d..300a455367 100644
--- a/lib/kokkos/Makefile.kokkos
+++ b/lib/kokkos/Makefile.kokkos
@@ -462,7 +462,7 @@ KOKKOS_OBJ_LINK = $(notdir $(KOKKOS_OBJ))
 include $(KOKKOS_PATH)/Makefile.targets
 
 kokkos-clean:
-	rm -f $(KOKKOS_OBJ_LINK) KokkosCore_config.h KokkosCore_config.tmp libkokkos.a
+	-rm -f $(KOKKOS_OBJ_LINK) KokkosCore_config.h KokkosCore_config.tmp libkokkos.a
 
 libkokkos.a: $(KOKKOS_OBJ_LINK) $(KOKKOS_SRC) $(KOKKOS_HEADERS)
 	ar cr libkokkos.a $(KOKKOS_OBJ_LINK)
diff --git a/lib/linalg/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi b/lib/linalg/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi
index cc2a76111a..1e35c5b461 100644
--- a/lib/linalg/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi
+++ b/lib/linalg/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ SHELL=/bin/sh
 
 all:
 	$(MAKE) $(MFLAGS) mingw32-cross
-	rm -f Obj_mingw32-mpi
+	-rm -f Obj_mingw32-mpi
 	ln -s Obj_mingw32 Obj_mingw32-mpi
 
 clean:
 	$(MAKE) $(MFLAGS) clean-mingw32-cross
-	rm -f Obj_mingw32-mpi
+	-rm -f Obj_mingw32-mpi
 
diff --git a/lib/linalg/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi b/lib/linalg/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi
index 1ec1a0995b..ca6f4a6d43 100644
--- a/lib/linalg/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi
+++ b/lib/linalg/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ SHELL=/bin/sh
 
 all:
 	$(MAKE) $(MFLAGS) mingw64-cross
-	rm -f Obj_mingw64-mpi
+	-rm -f Obj_mingw64-mpi
 	ln -s Obj_mingw64 Obj_mingw64-mpi
 
 clean:
 	$(MAKE) $(MFLAGS) clean-mingw64-cross
-	rm -f Obj_mingw64-mpi
+	-rm -f Obj_mingw64-mpi
 
diff --git a/lib/meam/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi b/lib/meam/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi
index cc2a76111a..1e35c5b461 100644
--- a/lib/meam/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi
+++ b/lib/meam/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ SHELL=/bin/sh
 
 all:
 	$(MAKE) $(MFLAGS) mingw32-cross
-	rm -f Obj_mingw32-mpi
+	-rm -f Obj_mingw32-mpi
 	ln -s Obj_mingw32 Obj_mingw32-mpi
 
 clean:
 	$(MAKE) $(MFLAGS) clean-mingw32-cross
-	rm -f Obj_mingw32-mpi
+	-rm -f Obj_mingw32-mpi
 
diff --git a/lib/meam/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi b/lib/meam/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi
index 1ec1a0995b..ca6f4a6d43 100644
--- a/lib/meam/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi
+++ b/lib/meam/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ SHELL=/bin/sh
 
 all:
 	$(MAKE) $(MFLAGS) mingw64-cross
-	rm -f Obj_mingw64-mpi
+	-rm -f Obj_mingw64-mpi
 	ln -s Obj_mingw64 Obj_mingw64-mpi
 
 clean:
 	$(MAKE) $(MFLAGS) clean-mingw64-cross
-	rm -f Obj_mingw64-mpi
+	-rm -f Obj_mingw64-mpi
 
diff --git a/lib/poems/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi b/lib/poems/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi
index cc2a76111a..1e35c5b461 100644
--- a/lib/poems/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi
+++ b/lib/poems/Makefile.mingw32-cross-mpi
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ SHELL=/bin/sh
 
 all:
 	$(MAKE) $(MFLAGS) mingw32-cross
-	rm -f Obj_mingw32-mpi
+	-rm -f Obj_mingw32-mpi
 	ln -s Obj_mingw32 Obj_mingw32-mpi
 
 clean:
 	$(MAKE) $(MFLAGS) clean-mingw32-cross
-	rm -f Obj_mingw32-mpi
+	-rm -f Obj_mingw32-mpi
 
diff --git a/lib/poems/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi b/lib/poems/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi
index 1ec1a0995b..ca6f4a6d43 100644
--- a/lib/poems/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi
+++ b/lib/poems/Makefile.mingw64-cross-mpi
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ SHELL=/bin/sh
 
 all:
 	$(MAKE) $(MFLAGS) mingw64-cross
-	rm -f Obj_mingw64-mpi
+	-rm -f Obj_mingw64-mpi
 	ln -s Obj_mingw64 Obj_mingw64-mpi
 
 clean:
 	$(MAKE) $(MFLAGS) clean-mingw64-cross
-	rm -f Obj_mingw64-mpi
+	-rm -f Obj_mingw64-mpi
 
diff --git a/lib/qmmm/Makefile.gfortran b/lib/qmmm/Makefile.gfortran
index 73fb35cbfd..717922b4b6 100644
--- a/lib/qmmm/Makefile.gfortran
+++ b/lib/qmmm/Makefile.gfortran
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ tldeps:
 	$(MAKE) -C ../../src $(MFLAGS) mode=lib $(LAMMPSCFG)
 
 clean :
-	- /bin/rm -f *.x *.o *.a *~ *.F90 *.d *.mod *.i *.L
+	-rm -f *.x *.o *.a *~ *.F90 *.d *.mod *.i *.L
 
 # explicit dependencies
 
diff --git a/lib/qmmm/Makefile.ifort b/lib/qmmm/Makefile.ifort
index fef9653a80..d03e67b8a0 100644
--- a/lib/qmmm/Makefile.ifort
+++ b/lib/qmmm/Makefile.ifort
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ tldeps:
 	$(MAKE) -C ../../src $(MFLAGS) mode=lib $(LAMMPSCFG)
 
 clean :
-	- /bin/rm -f *.x *.o *.a *~ *.F90 *.d *.mod *.i *.L
+	-rm -f *.x *.o *.a *~ *.F90 *.d *.mod *.i *.L
 
 # explicit dependencies