Limpia cadenas de caracteres en js

gistfile1.js

var normalize = (function() {
  var from = "ÃÀÁÄÂÈÉËÊÌÍÏÎÒÓÖÔÙÚÜÛãàáäâèéëêìíïîòóöôùúüûÑñÇç",
      to   = "AAAAAEEEEIIIIOOOOUUUUaaaaaeeeeiiiioooouuuunncc",
      mapping = {};
 
  for(var i = 0, j = from.length; i < j; i++ )
      mapping[ from.charAt( i ) ] = to.charAt( i );
 
  return function( str ) {
      var ret = [];
      for( var i = 0, j = str.length; i < j; i++ ) {
          var c = str.charAt( i );
          if( mapping.hasOwnProperty( str.charAt( i ) ) )
              ret.push( mapping[ c ] );
          else
              ret.push( c );
      }
      return ret.join( '' );
  }
 
})();


/**

para limpiar cadenas.....

return ret.join( '' ).replace( /[^-A-Za-z0-9]+/g, '-' ).toLowerCase();
**/