And they cleansed the sanctuary: See the comments on verse 36.

And removed the defiled stones to an unclean place: As part of the work of cleaning up the Temple area, they had to remove the defiled stones (literally “the stones of defilement”) that did not belong for religious reasons. These stones may have been “the stones of the loathsome structure” (Goldstein) built on top of the altar (see 1Macc 1.54). In some languages translators may say “the stones that were bad taboo.” An unclean place refers to a place where ritually unclean objects could be disposed of without infecting the community (see Lev 14.40, 45; compare 2~Kgs 23. 6, 12; 2~Chr 29.16). The problem of what to do with the stones of the altar itself is discussed in the following verses. In the Leviticus passages such material was to be placed in a special place outside the city, but we learn in verse 46 that they finally stored these stones on Mount Zion, presumably within the city limits. An unclean place may be rendered “a place for storing unclean [or, bad taboo] material.” This would not be “a garbage heap” (Contemporary English Version).

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.