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Subroto Saha
Subroto Saha

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Building DeepCleaner: An Open Source Windows Cleanup Utility That Actually Respects Your System

#opensource #performance #showdev #sideprojects

As a computer science student in Bangladesh, I've seen countless friends and family members struggle with their Windows PCs slowing down over time. The usual culprit? Gigabytes of temporary files, cache data, and system clutter accumulating silently in the background.

Sure, there are commercial cleaners out there. But many feel like black boxes—you never quite know what they're doing, some bundle unwanted software, and the free ones often nag you to upgrade. I wanted something different: transparent, safe, and genuinely helpful.

So I built DeepCleaner.

The Problem I'm Solving

Windows is fantastic, but it has a dirty little secret: it's a hoarder. Every day, your system accumulates:

  • Temporary files from installations and updates
  • Browser caches that grow endlessly
  • Windows Update leftovers (sometimes GB worth!)
  • System logs that nobody ever reads
  • Recycle Bin contents you forgot about months ago

For users with limited storage (especially those with older laptops or SSDs), this becomes a real problem. I've personally seen systems with 20-30GB of recoverable space just sitting there.

Why Build Another Cleaner?

Great question! Here's what makes DeepCleaner different:

1. 100% Transparent & Open Source

Every line of code is public on GitHub. You can see exactly what it's doing, audit the safety checks, and even contribute improvements. No mysterious "deep cleaning algorithms"—just straightforward, well-documented code.

2. Safety First

DeepCleaner never touches:

  • Personal documents
  • Application data that might break software
  • System files critical to Windows

It only targets genuinely safe-to-delete temporary files. Each cleanup operation shows you exactly what will be removed before doing anything.

3. No Dark Patterns

  • No bundled toolbars
  • No upgrade nags
  • No data collection
  • No "registry optimizers" (those are mostly snake oil anyway)

Just a clean, focused tool that does one job well.

4. Built for Real Users

I tested this with my classmates, family members, and local computer shops. Their feedback shaped every feature—from the simple interface to the detailed cleanup reports.

The Technical Journey

Technology Stack

I built DeepCleaner using:

  • C# / .NET - For robust Windows integration
  • WPF - Modern, responsive desktop UI
  • MIT License - Maximum freedom for users and contributors

Key Technical Challenges

Challenge 1: Finding All the Junk Safely

Windows stores temporary files in dozens of locations. The tricky part? Some locations require admin privileges, others don't. Some files might be locked by running processes.

My solution:

// Example: Safe temporary file detection
public List<FileInfo> ScanTempFiles()
{
    var tempPaths = new[] {
        Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.InternetCache),
        Path.GetTempPath(),
        Path.Combine(Environment.GetFolderPath(
            Environment.SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData), "Temp")
    };

    // Only scan accessible locations, gracefully handle permission errors
    // Verify each file is truly temporary and safe to delete
}
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Challenge 2: Handling Locked Files

Ever tried to delete a file and gotten "This file is in use"? Yeah, that's a problem for cleanup tools.

I implemented smart detection:

  • Check if files are locked before attempting deletion
  • Skip locked files gracefully
  • Report them separately so users understand why they weren't removed
  • Suggest safe times to run cleanup (like after a fresh boot)

Challenge 3: Making It User-Friendly

Not everyone is tech-savvy. The interface needed to be simple enough for my grandmother to use, while still giving power users the details they want.

Solution: Progressive disclosure

  • Simple mode: "Clean Now" button, done
  • Advanced mode: Checkboxes for each category, preview of what's being removed
  • Detailed logs for the curious

Real-World Impact

Since sharing early versions with my university community:

  • Average space recovered: 8-15GB per system
  • Fastest cleanup: 47GB on a heavily-used developer machine
  • Zero reports of system instability or data loss
  • Positive feedback from users who were previously using commercial tools

One classmate told me: "I was about to buy an external drive. DeepCleaner saved me $50!"

What's Next?

I'm actively developing DeepCleaner with these goals:

Short Term

  • ✅ Core cleanup functionality (Done!)
  • ✅ Safe file detection (Done!)
  • 🔄 Code signing for Windows SmartScreen trust (In progress)
  • 📝 Comprehensive documentation

Future Features

  • Scheduled automatic cleanups
  • Custom cleanup profiles
  • Portable mode (run without installation)
  • Multilingual support
  • Integration with Windows Task Scheduler

The Open Source Journey

This is my first serious open source project, and I'm learning so much:

  • Code quality matters: When others can read your code, you write better code
  • Documentation is hard: But crucial for adoption
  • Community feedback is gold: Users find edge cases you never imagined
  • Transparency builds trust: Being open about limitations is more valuable than marketing hype

Current Challenge: Code Signing

Here's where I need the community's help. To distribute DeepCleaner without Windows security warnings, I need code signing. I've applied to SignPath Foundation for their free open source code signing program.

The catch? They need to verify that DeepCleaner is a legitimate, community-recognized project. That's partly why I'm writing this article—to show that real people are using and benefiting from this tool.

If you find DeepCleaner useful, starring the repo, sharing feedback, or spreading the word helps establish that legitimacy!

Try It Out

GitHub Repository: DeepCleaner

The project includes:

  • Full source code
  • Build instructions
  • Safety documentation
  • Contribution guidelines

How to Build & Run 

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/isubroto/temp_cleaner.git

# Open in Visual Studio 2022
# Build and run (F5)

# Or use the pre-built releases
# (Currently unsigned, but working on it!)
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For Developers: Contributing

I'd love contributions! Areas where help is especially welcome:

  1. Testing on different Windows versions (10, 11, Server)
  2. Localization (translating to other languages)
  3. UI/UX improvements
  4. Additional safe cleanup targets
  5. Documentation and tutorials

Check out CONTRIBUTING.md in the repo for guidelines.

Lessons for Fellow Student Developers

Building DeepCleaner taught me:

  1. Start with a real problem: I built this because I needed it, and so did people around me
  2. Ship early, iterate: My first version was basic. User feedback drove improvements
  3. Safety > Features: One bug that deletes important files destroys all trust
  4. Open source isn't just code: It's documentation, communication, and community
  5. Ask for help: The developer community is incredibly supportive

Final Thoughts

DeepCleaner started as a weekend project to help my slow laptop. It's grown into something that helps students, families, and small businesses reclaim precious disk space.

It's not perfect. There are features I want to add, optimizations to make, and bugs to squash. But it works, it's safe, and it's genuinely useful.

And it's completely free and open source.

If you've ever been frustrated by your C: drive running out of space, give DeepCleaner a try. If you're a developer, check out the code and let me know what you think. If you find it helpful, star the repo and share it with someone who might benefit.

Let's build useful software, together.

Links & Resources

What cleanup tools do you use? What features would you want in an open source cleaner? Let me know in the comments!

Tags: #opensource #windows #csharp #dotnet #desktop #utility #beginners #student

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