Cleaning up OSX Lion

[VydorScope]

Okay, I have had my iMac for several years now and it has been upgraded through Leopard, Snow Leopard, and currently to Lion. It is a 2 GHZ Core 2 Duo , forget how old... maybe 4 years now. It has never had a clean install.

So before the new OS drops this summer I was thinking I wanted to clean it up but it occurs to me, how do you clean up a Mac? I have no uninstaller type programs, I have always just dragged an app from Applications to the trash to remove it. I assume this leaves stuff behind in Library both at the user and system level? When I look at login items, there are 2 items there that are marked as "can not find" which seems to me as an indication that stuff was left behind in removing applications.

So short of a complete wipe and rebuild, what other clean up options do I have? Are there trustworthy and decent tools out there to look for junk? What other advice is there?

Thanks!

 

[simsaladimbamba]

No need for cleaning applications.
Look at these guides and my signature on how to completely uninstall an application, though if you don't know the name of the applications anymore, then it might be cumbersome.

Uninstalling Applications in Mac OS X
which also includes:

Best way to FULLY DELETE a program​

Five Mac maintenance myths

If your Mac is still running okay, there is no need to do further steps, b though you could take a look here: Performance Tips For Mac OS X

And if you have a good backup system, you could always do a Clean Install once OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion is out.

 

[maflynn]

OSX typically does a great job at managing itself. I find little reason to use any sort of "app cleaners"

You could go into your ~/Library folder and remove any plists or preferences files that refer to apps that have been uninstalled. Given the size of those, they generally don't have any real impact on the system, its performance or stability.

 

[VydorScope]

Thanks!

As for the clean install.. what I normally do is pick clean install, but leave my Time Machine Drive connected. Then on first boot the installer asks me about it, and I say "Go forth and restore all things," and it puts all my apps/settings back. I ASSUME that it also puts any bloat/etc back with it. But it is such a time savior I have accepted that.