Smart Cleanup Tools - Plugin for WordPress 5.3

Smart Cleanup Tools is a robust and long-standing WordPress database optimization plugin developed by Milan Petrovic (SMARTPlugins). It is specifically designed to help site owners identify and remove "junk" data that accumulates in the database over time, which can significantly slow down backend performance and increase backup sizes.

In late 2025, it remains a favorite for power users and network admins due to its massive library of 37+ individual cleanup, reset, and removal tools.

Key Feature Groups

Database Cleanup (21+ Tools): Focuses on orphaned and obsolete records.

WooCommerce Optimization: Removes expired WooCommerce sessions from the options table.

Orphaned Records: Deletes metadata (post, comment, user) that no longer has a parent record.

Cache Clearing: Flushes oEmbed caches, RSS feed caches, and expired transients.

Post/Comment Junk: One-click removal of auto-drafts, trashed/spammed posts, and post revisions.

Data Removal (14+ Tools): Deletes data that might still be in use but is no longer needed for your current site goals.

Media Management: Identifies and removes attachments with missing files or unattached media.

Cleanup by Criteria: Mass-deletes pingbacks, Akismet logs, or draft posts based on your filters.

Reset Tools: Useful for troubleshooting or "starting fresh" without a full site wipe.

Sidebar/Widget Reset: Clears your sidebars (helpful when switching themes).

Rewrite Rules: Refreshes permalinks to fix 404 errors.

Scheduling & Logging:

Automated Jobs: Set cleanups to run once or repeatedly (daily, weekly, etc.) via wp-cron.

Detailed Statistics: Shows an estimate of how many records will be removed before you run the tool and a report of the space saved afterward.

Technical Snapshot (Updated December 2025)

Feature

Details

Developer

Milan Petrovic (SMARTPlugins)

Current Version

5.3+

Compatibility

WordPress 6.7+ and PHP 8.3+

Multisite Support

Fully compatible (Network Admin tools included)

Price

~$30 (Regular License on CodeCanyon)

Latest Status

Active (Confirmed updates in 2024/2025)

Strategic Setup Workflow

Because this plugin performs direct database deletions, follow this "Safety-First" workflow:

Backup First: Never run a cleanup tool without a fresh backup (e.g., via UpdraftPlus).

The "Expert" Scan: Open the Cleanup Panel and review the "Estimated Records" for each tool. If a tool shows 0 records, you don't need to run it.

Run AJAX Cleanups: Use the manual cleanup buttons first to ensure your server handles the process without timing out.

Automation: Once you've confirmed the manual tools work safely, schedule a "Monthly Deep Clean" for post revisions and WooCommerce sessions to keep the database lean automatically.

Why Choose Smart Cleanup Tools?

While popular plugins like WP-Optimize are great for general users, Smart Cleanup Tools provides much deeper access to specific "orphaned" tables that other plugins often miss. For example, its ability to clean up oEmbed cached postmeta and orphaned relationship records makes it a "ninja" tool for sites with thousands of posts and complex taxonomies.

Pro Tip: If you are running a Multisite Network in 2026, use the "Network Admin" tools to clear transients and database overhead across all sub-sites at once. This can save gigabytes of space on your server if you have hundreds of individual sub-sites.

Would you like me to find a comparison between Smart Cleanup Tools and Advanced Database Cleaner to see which one offers better "Orphaned Table" detection for your specific theme?