Linux Mint cleanup audit + checklist

[pebblab]

I recently did a fairly deep cleanup of one of my Linux Mint machines and discovered that removed software can leave things behind in a surprising number of places: APT remnants, old repositories, user configs, caches, Flatpak data, autostarts, systemd services, /opt, /usr/local, dead launchers and symlinks, and more.

I turned the process into a reusable read-only audit script plus a detailed cleanup checklist.

The script does not automatically delete or uninstall anything. It inventories potential leftovers so you can review them first. That was intentional, because name-based cleanup can easily flag legitimate Mint/system files.

Repo:

https://github.com/pebblab/linux_mint_cleanup

Included:

• linux-mint-cleanup-audit.sh — read-only audit
• linux-mint-cleanup-checklist.md — manual cleanup guide, commands, safety notes, and false positives
• standard and --deep audit modes

I made this mainly so I could repeat the same check every six months and run it on my other Mint machines without having to remember all the places software can leave junk behind.

Feedback, corrections, and additional Mint-specific places worth checking are welcome.