diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
index 5b275d67306f..6f00698b7b87 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
@@ -1275,7 +1275,11 @@ def __clear(self):
         for axis in self._axis_map.values():
             axis.clear()  # Also resets the scale to linear.
         for spine in self.spines.values():
+            # avoid expensive methods in the clearing of the spine, gh-26243
+            tmp_axis = spine.axis
+            spine.axis = None
             spine.clear()
+            spine.axis = tmp_axis
 
         self.ignore_existing_data_limits = True
         self.callbacks = cbook.CallbackRegistry(