> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://test.pzona.fun/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Clean up expired containers with mkdb cleanup

> mkdb cleanup removes expired database containers and their volumes. It also runs automatically before every other mkdb command you execute.

`mkdb cleanup` finds all database containers whose TTL has expired and lets you remove them interactively. When you confirm a removal, mkdb stops and deletes the Docker container, removes the associated volume, and clears the container record from its local database.

## Automatic cleanup

You do not need to run `mkdb cleanup` manually on a regular basis. mkdb runs a cleanup check automatically before every command. If expired containers exist when you run `mkdb list`, `mkdb start`, or any other command, mkdb detects them and prompts you to remove them as part of that operation.

## Manual cleanup

Run `mkdb cleanup` directly when you want to explicitly audit and remove expired containers:

```bash theme={null}
mkdb cleanup
```

mkdb lists all expired containers and presents an interactive prompt where you select which ones to remove. Containers you do not select are left in place.

## What gets deleted

When you confirm removal of a container, mkdb deletes:

* The Docker container
* The associated volume (named volume or bind-mount data)
* The container record and user records from the local mkdb database

This operation is permanent and cannot be undone.

<Note>
  **Testing connectivity:** To verify that a container is reachable before or after other operations, use `mkdb test --name mydb` (also available as `mkdb ping --name mydb`). This runs a simple query against the database — `SELECT 1` for PostgreSQL and MySQL, `PING` for Redis — and reports whether the connection succeeded.
</Note>