We have studied a wide variety of wet and dry etching methods for InP substrates and subsequent surface treatments in preparation for regrowth. To evaluate these processes, a multiple quantum well heterostructure consisting of InGaAs quantum wells of varying widths was regrown on these etched surfaces by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. This heterostructure was chosen so that we could use low temperature photoluminescence to determine etch damage propagation from the surface. We have found that the photoluminescence intensity of regrown quantum wells close to CH4/H2/Ar reactive-ion-etched surfaces is greater than for quantum wells grown the same distance from wet etched surfaces. This technique provides isolation of the characteristics of the etch and clean-up procedure.