BleachBit — A Free Tool to Clean Your Disk and Protect Your Privacy on Linux

If you've ever used CCleaner on Windows, BleachBit is the open-source alternative that works on both Linux and Windows. It removes temporary files, cache, cookies, browser history, logs — all the digital clutter — and frees up space on your hard drive. On top of that, it helps keep your personal data safe by securely wiping files so they can’t be recovered. BleachBit is open source, which means anyone can look at the code, tweak it, or just make sure there’s no tracking or shady stuff going on behind the scenes.

What BleachBit Can Do

→ Securely delete files and folders so they can’t be recovered.
→ Wipe free disk space to erase leftover traces of deleted files.
→ Clean up cache, cookies, temporary files, browser history, and other system junk.
→ Remove logs from the system and apps, plus unused language files.
→ Find and remove large or duplicate files.
→ Optimize databases like Firefox or Chrome to save space.
→ Protect your privacy by clearing traces of your online activity.
→ Schedule cleanups — daily, weekly, or monthly.
→ And best of all — no ads, spyware, telemetry, or bloatware.

How to Install BleachBit on Linux

Pick the command based on your Linux distribution:

sudo apt install bleachbit         # Debian, Ubuntu, Mint  

sudo dnf install bleachbit         # RHEL, Fedora, Rocky/AlmaLinux  

sudo emerge -a sys-apps/bleachbit  # Gentoo  

sudo apk add bleachbit             # Alpine  

sudo pacman -S bleachbit           # Arch 

sudo zypper install bleachbit      # openSUSE  

sudo pkg install bleachbit         # FreeBSD  

You can launch BleachBit either from your application menu or by running:

bleachbit

Want to clean system-wide files? Run it as administrator:

sudo bleachbit

How to Use BleachBit

The interface is clean and simple:
→ On the left, you’ll see categories like browsers, system, apps, and custom cleaners.
→ Each one includes checkboxes for what you want to clean — cache, logs, temp files, and so on.
→ At the top, you’ve got buttons for Preview, Clean, and Shred Files/Folders.

Preview — Always hit this button before running a cleanup. It shows you what files will be deleted and how much space you’ll save — but doesn’t delete anything yet.

Clean — Happy with the preview? Click Clean, and BleachBit will delete everything you checked. Heads up: once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Shred Files or Folders — Need to erase something for good with no chance of recovery? Use File > Shred Files or Shred Folders.

Warning: Shredding is permanent. Be sure you really want to erase those files.

Wipe Free Disk Space — Even after deleting files, leftover data can hang around on your drive. This option overwrites that free space so nothing can be recovered. It can take a while, depending on your disk size and speed.

Using BleachBit from the Command Line

You can also use BleachBit fully from the terminal — great for automation and scripting.

Quick cleanup:

bleachbit --clean

See all available options:

bleachbit --help

Target specific cleaners like this:

bleachbit --clean firefox.cache system.tmp

For system-wide cleaning:

sudo bleachbit --clean

Final Thoughts

BleachBit is a powerful yet easy-to-use tool. It helps you reclaim disk space and protect your privacy. Whether you're a beginner or a power user looking to automate cleanups and keep your system in shape — it gets the job done.
Give BleachBit a try on your Linux or Windows system, and enjoy a smoother, more private experience.

Want to explore all the features? Open a terminal and run:

man bleachbit

You’ll get the full manual with every option and detail.