An image heating apparatus includes a heating rotatable member for heating an image on a recording material in a nip; a nip forming member for cooperating with said heating rotatable member to form the nip; a rubbing rotatable member having a rubbing material for rubbing said heating rotatable member; the following is satisfied:
7×10−3≦(P/πH tan θ) (|V−v|/V)≦68×10−3
where
P: load [N] by said rubbing member to said heating rotatable member,
V: peripheral speed of said heating rotatable member [mm/sec],
v: peripheral speed [mm/sec] the of said rubbing member,
h: microhardness [GPa] of said heating rotatable member, and
θ: a half-apex-angle [°] of said rubbing material.