BleachBit — Open-Source Alternative to CCleaner, Cleans Your System Without Spying on Your Privacy
In a word: A completely open-source system cleaning tool that deletes caches, clears history, and scans temporary files. The code is transparent and doesn’t collect your data.
CCleaner Got Hacked Twice — Are You Still Using It?
In September 2017, hackers broke into CCleaner’s official distribution server and pushed a backdoored malicious version to 2.3 million users. Millions of people had a compromised CCleaner installed on their computers, and CCleaner and its parent company Piriform (acquired by Avast) didn’t discover it until three weeks later.
What’s even more ironic is that CCleaner is a “system cleaning tool” — it made you believe it was helping clean your computer, while quietly collecting user browsing data and analytics and selling them to advertisers.
A cleaning tool should be one of the most trustworthy pieces of software on your computer, since it has permission to browse and delete all your files. If a cleaning tool is secretly monitoring you, the harm it causes is worse than the junk it cleans.
BleachBit is here to solve the trust problem. It’s completely open source (GPL license), and every line of code can be reviewed by anyone. The software itself doesn’t connect to the internet (unless you manually check for updates) and doesn’t collect or send any user data. It cleans system junk the same way CCleaner does — temporary files, browser caches, cookies, history, system logs — but you can be confident it won’t do anything behind your back that you don’t want it to.
What Can BleachBit Clean?
1. System Junk
Windows generates more junk than any third-party software. BleachBit can clean:
- Old system files left behind after Windows updates (can be several GB in size)
- Expired files in the temporary folder (%TEMP%)
- Recycle bin contents
- Windows event logs
- Memory dump files (.dmp files left after system crashes, can be multiple GB each)
- DNS cache, thumbnail cache, font cache
- Invalid shortcuts
2. Browser Privacy Data
BleachBit supports cleaning data from all major browsers:
- Firefox: Cache, cookies, history, download history, session restore data
- Chrome / Chromium / Edge: Same as above, plus local data generated by various Google services
- Opera / Vivaldi / Brave: Same as above
- Internet Explorer: Cache, history, cookies, ActiveX controls
For each browser, you can choose to “clear cache but keep cookies” (free up space without logging out of all websites) or “clear everything” (completely erase browsing traces).
3. Application Junk
BleachBit can clean history and redundant data from over 90 commonly used applications:
- Adobe Reader / Photoshop recent file lists
- Office suite recent document history
- Media player (VLC, Winamp, etc.) playback history
- Java cache, Flash cookies
- Chat software (Skype, Teams, etc.) local cache
- Download tool download history
4. File Shredding
When Windows deletes files, it only marks them as “deleted” — the data itself is still on the disk and can be recovered with recovery software. BleachBit’s file shredding feature overwrites file contents with random data, making the files unrecoverable. For files containing bank information, document scans, contracts, and other sensitive content, you should use file shredding instead of regular deletion when you truly need to get rid of them.
Professional Media and User Reviews
| Source | Review |
|---|---|
| Wired | ”BleachBit gained fame as the tool recommended for secure file deletion — and for good reason” |
| How-To Geek | ”If you’re looking for a CCleaner alternative that respects your privacy, BleachBit is it” |
| Ghacks | ”Open source, portable, and effective — everything a system cleaner should be” |
What Real Users Say
“After the CCleaner 2017 hack, our company IT department required a company-wide uninstall of CCleaner and replacement with BleachBit. BleachBit’s interface isn’t as polished as CCleaner’s, but the cleaning effect is exactly the same, and it’s open and transparent for security audits.” — IT Compliance, Zhihu
“I use BleachBit together with Geek Uninstaller: Geek handles software uninstallation, BleachBit handles system and browser junk. Together, they keep my C drive with 40GB+ of free space.” — Mild Digital Cleanliness Enthusiast, V2EX
“The only inconvenience: BleachBit doesn’t automatically analyze what’s safe to clean (CCleaner marks ‘Recommended to clean’ and ‘Clean with caution’). You need to decide what to check yourself, which might be confusing for beginners.” — Computer Enthusiast, Bilibili
Comparison with Similar Tools
| Dimension | BleachBit | CCleaner Free | Windows Disk Cleanup | Privazer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| System Junk Cleaning | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Comprehensive | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Comprehensive | ⭐⭐ Basic | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Most comprehensive |
| Browser Privacy Cleaning | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Major browsers | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Most comprehensive | ⭐ Edge only | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Most comprehensive |
| App Data Cleaning | ⭐⭐⭐ 90+ apps | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 200+ | Not supported | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 150+ |
| File Shredding | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Supported | ⭐⭐⭐ Pro required | Not supported | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Strongest |
| Open Source Transparency | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fully open | Closed | Closed | Closed |
| Privacy Protection | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ No data collection | ⭐ Sold user data | ⭐⭐⭐ Microsoft collects | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good |
| Ads | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Zero ads | ⭐ Ads + popups | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ No ads | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ No ads |
| Portable Version | Yes | Requires install | — | Yes |
| Price | Free & Open Source | Free (limited)/$24.95 | Free | Free |
Selection advice:
- Value privacy and want transparent code → BleachBit (open source, no data collection)
- Need the simplest one-click cleaning → Windows built-in Disk Cleanup (safest but weakest)
- Need the most comprehensive privacy cleaning (including file residue wiping) → Privazer (free but closed source, most thorough cleaning)
Download and Installation Guide
Official Download (Recommended)
BleachBit’s only official website is bleachbit.org:
| Version | Download Address | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Installer | bleachbit.org/download/windows | Standard installation, can set up scheduled tasks |
| Portable (Recommended) | Select Portable on the same page | Extract and use, doesn’t write to registry |
Safety Note: BleachBit’s official site is
bleachbit.org. Verify the file signature before downloading (developer should be Andrew Ziem). The installation process has no bundled or promoted software — it’s clean free software. Avoid getting “localized enhanced versions” from third-party download sites in China — the original software has built-in multilingual support (including Chinese).
1-Minute Quick Start
- Open bleachbit.org, download the portable ZIP
- Extract and double-click
BleachBit.exe(run as administrator for first use to clean more system-level junk) - Check the items you want to clean on the left. Beginner tip: Start by only checking items in dark gray font (system temp files and caches common to all users). Gray italic items require administrator privileges to clean
- Click the “Preview” button on the toolbar — BleachBit will first calculate how much space each item can free up (without actually deleting)
- Review the preview results, confirm everything looks right, then click “Clean” and wait for completion
Recommended Cleaning List (Safe + Effective)
The following items are safe to clean without affecting system stability:
- System: Temp files, Recycle Bin, DNS cache, thumbnail cache
- Browser: Cache (keep cookies to maintain website login status)
- Windows Explorer: Recent document list
Items to approach with caution (don’t select if unsure):
- Browser cookies (all websites will need re-login after clearing)
- System logs (needed for troubleshooting)
- Memory dump files (large, but you might need them to analyze blue screen causes)
FAQ
Q: Which cleans cleaner, BleachBit or CCleaner? A: The cleaning effect is very similar. CCleaner supports more application types (200+ vs 90+), but BleachBit excels in system-level junk cleaning and privacy protection (file shredding, open source transparency). In daily use, the difference in space freed is typically less than 5%.
Q: Will cleaning with BleachBit affect system stability? A: As long as you only check system and browser caches (dark gray items), it won’t affect stability at all. But if you check items like registry cleaning or advanced system log cleaning, there’s a very small chance it could affect applications that depend on that data. For first use, only check clear “temporary file” and “cache” type items.
Q: Can BleachBit be set to clean automatically on a schedule?
A: Yes. BleachBit supports command-line mode (bleachbit.exe --clean firefox.cache google_chrome.cache system.tmp). You can create a scheduled task or write a batch script to automatically run specified cleaning items at a scheduled time.
BleachBit is an honest cleaner — it sweeps what needs sweeping, never touches what it shouldn’t, and you never have to worry about it rummaging through your drawers when you’re not looking.