Bleachbit
Bleachbit allows you to shred individuals files and folders and wipe partitions. This helps protect sensitive data from being recovered, if you’re worried about file-recovery utilities.
How to Install BleachBit:
1. Open the Terminal (Shortcut: Ctrl + Alt + T)
2. Type the following command: sudo apt-get install bleachbit
3. Press Enter or Return and type in your password
4. Type Y and press Enter or Return
1. Open the Terminal (Shortcut: Ctrl + Alt + T)
2. Type the following command: sudo apt-get install bleachbit
3. Press Enter or Return and type in your password
4. Type Y and press Enter or Return
To start BleachBit type bleachbit at the command prompt in the Terminal. You can also start BleachBit by clicking on th Applications menu, then highlight System Tools, then click on BleachBit or Bleachbit (as root). BleachBit as a regular user will remove files that only belong to the user account logged in; whereas, Bleachbit (as root) will do a system wide clean. It is not recommended cleaning 'as root' unless you know exactly what you're doing.
How to Uninstall BleachBit:
1. Open the Terminal (Shortcut: Ctrl + Alt + T)
2. Type the following command: sudo apt remove bleachbit && sudo apt autoremove
1. Open the Terminal (Shortcut: Ctrl + Alt + T)
2. Type the following command: sudo apt remove bleachbit && sudo apt autoremove
You may be prompted to set your preferences the first time you run the program. If not, you may want to make sure to set your prefences before using the software. You can access Preferences by clicking on the Edit menu and selecting Preferences. By default the Preferences dialog box with start with the General tab selected. I have mine set to receive updates periodically, hide irrelevent cleaners, and confirm before delete. Note: Selecting "Hide irrelevant cleaners" will reduce a significant amount of clutter but it will cause a slightly longer startup. For more in dept informant on all the preferences settings please visit the website: https://docs.bleachbit.org/doc/preferences.html
A Typical Cleaning:
1. On the left side of the BleachBit dialog box is a list of cleaners (locations to be cleaned) and option(s).
2. Click the name of a cleaner that you want to know something about it.
3. A description of the cleaner you selected will appear in the right side of the screen.
1. On the left side of the BleachBit dialog box is a list of cleaners (locations to be cleaned) and option(s).
2. Click the name of a cleaner that you want to know something about it.
3. A description of the cleaner you selected will appear in the right side of the screen.
4. Place a check in the box of the option you want to clean.
5. Close any applications that are running before you start the cleaning process.
6. Click the Preview icon to review the list of files. It make take a few minutes to generate a list.
The preview button is “safe” and makes no changes to your system.
5. Close any applications that are running before you start the cleaning process.
6. Click the Preview icon to review the list of files. It make take a few minutes to generate a list.
The preview button is “safe” and makes no changes to your system.
7. Make any modifications and/or adjustments to your selection of options on the left, and preview again
until you are comfortable with the changes. Disable any options which you don’t understand or make
you uncomfortable.
8. Click the Clean icon when you are ready to clean your system. It may take a very long time to clean your
system. The length of time depends on the options you selected to clean.
until you are comfortable with the changes. Disable any options which you don’t understand or make
you uncomfortable.
8. Click the Clean icon when you are ready to clean your system. It may take a very long time to clean your
system. The length of time depends on the options you selected to clean.
Securely Delete a Folder
Click the File menu and select Shred Folders.
Click the File menu and select Shred Folders.
A dialog box will open up. Select the folder you want to shred and press the Delete button.
BleachBit will ask you to confirm whether you want to permanently delete the files you selected. Click the Delete button.
BleachBit will now show you the files you deleted. Notice that BleachBit securely deletes each file in the folder, then securely deletes the folder.
Securely Delete a File or Files
Click the File menu and select Shred Files.
Click the File menu and select Shred Files.
A file selection dialog box will open up. Select the file or files you want to shred and press the Delete button.
BleachBit will ask you to confirm whether you want to permanently delete the files you selected. Click the Delete button.
BleachBit will now show you the files you deleted. Notice that BleachBit securely deletes each file in the folder, then securely deletes the folder.
BleachBit has other features not listed on this site. One of the most useful may be to “wipe free space.” This will attempt to remove any traces of files you have already deleted. Often deleting files on a computer will leave all or part of the data from deleted files in the remaining free space left on the hard drive. “Wipe free space” will overwrite these supposedly empty parts of the hard drive with random data. Wiping free space can take a lot of time, depending on how much spare capacity your drive has.
If you ever decide to sell your computer it is recommended that you delete and shred all your important information and the wipe the free space. Just a normal delete of a file is not secure enough to protect your personal data. There are a lot of programs that allow you to undelete a file. BleachBit has a way to overwrite your data after it removes it and then removes the data that it used to overwrite your personal data. This helps protect your privacy.
Jun 25, 2018