  Observations of the intra-cluster medium (ICM) in galactic globular clusters
(GCs) show a systematic deficiency in ICM mass as compared to that expected
from accumulation of stellar winds in the time available between galactic plane
crossings. In this paper, we reexamine the original hypothesis of Scott and
Durisen that hydrogen-rich explosions on accreting white dwarfs, classical
novae (CNe), will sweep out the ICM from the cluster more frequently than
galactic plane crossings. From the CNe rate and stellar mass-loss rate, this
clearing mechanism predicts that ~ 0.03 M_sun should be present in <= 10^5
M_sun GCs. We model the expanding remnant made from the 10^-4 M_sun nova ejecta
and show that it escapes long before it has cooled. We discuss the few positive
ICM measurements and use a Monte-Carlo simulation of the accumulation and CNe
recurrence times to reveal the possible variance in the ICM masses for the
higher mass (> 5x10^5 M_sun) GCs. We find that nova shells are effective at
clearing the ICM in low-mass GCs (<= 10^5 M_sun), whereas higher-mass clusters
may experience a quiescent time between novae long enough to prevent the next
nova shell from escaping. The nova clearing mechanism will also operate in
ultra-faint Milky Way satellites, where many upper limits on gas masses are
available.
