if ($remove eq ~ m/^.*\b($remove)\b.*$) {
 # do stuff here
}

##</code><code>##

sub clean_the_file {
    my $sourcefile = "/u/ccsys/CC_print.printers";

# grab the sourcefile and the string to remove as the first and second arguments
    my ( $sourcefile, $remove ) = @_;

    # create a temporary file
    my $tempfile = # Some random file creation logic;

    # extract lines from $sourcefile which do NOT have the string to remove
    # note that the \' inserts ticks so that strings with spaces can work, too
    `grep -v \'$remove\' $sourcefile\n > $tempfile`;

    # delete source file, then rename working file
    unlink($sourcefile);
    rename( $tempfile, $sourcefile );
}