diff --git a/code_to_optimize/remove_control_chars.py b/code_to_optimize/remove_control_chars.py
index 45f67459e..f80661913 100644
--- a/code_to_optimize/remove_control_chars.py
+++ b/code_to_optimize/remove_control_chars.py
@@ -1,10 +1,15 @@
-import re
-
-
 class CharacterRemover:
     def __init__(self):
         self.version = "0.1"
+        # Build translation table once in init.
+        self._ctrl_table = self._make_ctrl_table()
 
     def remove_control_characters(self, s) -> str:
         """Remove control characters from the string."""
-        return re.sub("[\\x00-\\x1F\\x7F]", "", s) if s else ""
+        return s.translate(self._ctrl_table) if s else ""
+
+    def _make_ctrl_table(self):
+        # Map delete (ASCII 127) and 0-31 to None
+        ctrl_chars = dict.fromkeys(range(32), None)
+        ctrl_chars[127] = None
+        return str.maketrans(ctrl_chars)