Having a clean computer is critical to improving system performance and preventing its degradation over time, which results from file fragmentation and accumulation. But although cleaning out your computer is good for performance in general you have to make sure you have also considered the risks prior to rushing in. We need to keep in mind that our important files may be deleted by accident by the software tools we may be using, or when cleaning the files yourself. In addition, getting rid of files that are no longer needed needs some time set aside, especially if manual scanning is performed but even using software for the task can take significant time. For most people these risks are minimal and the clear improvements gained certainly outweigh any minor obstacles.

Different tools do drive cleaning using their own methods. Many internet cleanup applications are commonly available and these can simplify the cleanup process immensely. There is usually much is more that these applications can perform; many can also clean up orphaned data, locate and remove porno files, detect pirated software, and help with free space recovery. Software utilities for cleaning HDD files can be found in several distinct flavors. Firstly there are cleaning utilities such as the free CCleaner software, that can clean hard drives, removing temp files, useless files and folders and recover wasted space. Another distinct group is the privacy protection type, that clean out URL history and get rid of the previously typed URLs from drop down lists from the most common browsers tools such as Evidence Eliminator. Then there is the porn cleaner product, which detects the existence of porn or other suspicious items and helps the user get rid of these items. Still another class of cleaner software comprising disk 'washing' software which overwrites deleted data remaining on the hard drive's slack space, so no matter what methods are used, it cannot be retrieved.