Disk Cleanup on Linux: Reclaim Your Space in 2026

If you're running Linux in 2026—whether it's Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, or another distro—chances are your drive is filling up faster than expected. High-res wallpapers, container images, Flatpaks, and endless logs can turn your sleek setup into a storage nightmare. But Linux gives you powerful tools to fight back, all from the terminal (or with a GUI if you prefer). This guide walks you through safe, effective cleanup steps to free gigabytes without breaking your system.

Step 1: Diagnose the Problem – Where's All the Space Going?

Start with the basics:

• Check overall disk usage: df -h (human-readable format).
• For a deeper dive: du -sh /* to see top-level directory sizes.

Install and run ncdu for an interactive, ncurses-based explorer:

sudo apt install ncdu (Debian/Ubuntu) or sudo dnf install ncdu (Fedora).

Then: sudo ncdu /

This tool lets you navigate and spot space hogs like a pro.

Step 2: Quick and Safe Cleanups

Target common culprits:

• Package Manager Cache:
  • Debian/Ubuntu: sudo apt autoclean (remove obsolete packages) and sudo apt clean (clear all cached .deb files).
  • Fedora (DNF): sudo dnf clean all.
• Orphaned Packages: sudo apt autoremove (Ubuntu/Debian) or sudo dnf autoremove (Fedora).
• System Logs (systemd journals can balloon to GBs): sudo journalctl --vacuum-size=100M (keep only the latest 100MB) Or: sudo journalctl --vacuum-time=2weeks.

• Temporary Files: sudo rm -rf /tmp/* (safe, as /tmp clears on reboot) and sudo rm -rf /var/tmp/*.
• User Cache: Clear your home cache: rm -rf ~/.cache/* (be cautious—some apps might need to rebuild caches).

Step 3: Hunt Down Big Files and Old Kernels

• Find large files: sudo find / -type f -size +100M -exec ls -lh {} \; | sort -hr (lists files >100MB, sorted largest first).

• Old kernels (common on /boot filling up): List: dpkg --list | grep linux-image (Debian/Ubuntu). Remove old ones safely: sudo apt autoremove --purge.

  On Fedora, DNF handles this automatically, keeping the last few.

• Flatpaks/Snaps/Docker: These are notorious space eaters. Flatpak: flatpak uninstall --unused. Docker: docker system prune -a.

Step 4: Advanced Tools and Prevention

• BleachBit: A powerful cleaner (like CCleaner but open-source). Install via your package manager and run with caution—preview first!
• GUI options: Baobab (Disk Usage Analyzer) or Filelight for visual maps.

For long-term health:

• Limit journal size in /etc/systemd/journald.conf: Set SystemMaxUse=100M and restart the service.
• Regularly run autoremove and clean commands.
• Consider moving ~/Downloads or media to an external drive.

These steps can easily free 10-50GB or more, depending on your setup. Run df -h before and after to see the difference. Linux empowers you to keep things lean—happy cleaning! 🐧

What's your biggest space hog on Linux? Drop it in the comments!