CleanMyMac/Onyx/Cleaning Apps?

[rbkhockey83]

Hi guys, I've had CleanMyMac on my iMac since I installed Lion. I know it doesn't really speed up my Mac but I like having a clean computer (I barely store anything on my internal HD). It hasn't given me any problems (At least I haven't discovered any), but I read on here it's a bad application. The post was a few years old, but I'm wondering if I should delete it and get a different application? What's the best Mac Cleaning app that you guys know of?

Thanks for the help,
Sean

 

[old-wiz]

You don't really need one. Clean your Safari caches and that's about it. I have a 24" iMac from 2008 and it still runs fine, never used any cleanup apps. When I delete an app, I know enough to look for its' preferences files.

 

[Wasabihound]

Hi

I just use the Disk Utility to repair my permissions regularly (about twice month) and AppCleaner (it's free) to clear out applications (you can set it up so that when you drag an applications to the trash can Appcleaner will put any associated files in the trash can as well).

Agree with Old-Wiz Browser cache clears are always a good idea too.

 

[munkery]

Use Onyx if you are going to use a maintenance app.

This is only required if you use third party apps that create large log and cache files.

Onyx has many advanced features that should be used with caution.

For basic cleaning using Onyx, do the following:

Select the "Automation" tab.

Uncheck the following:
- Repair permission (this can be done using Disk Utility if needed)
- Execute Maintenance Scripts (this is already done automatically by OS X)
- Spotlight Index (very time consuming, only needed for specific issues)
- Mail's Envelope Index (very time consuming, only needed for specific issues)

Run all the remaining tasks.

Also, the check "Preferences" function via the "Verify" tab is helpful for troubleshooting problematic apps. Just make sure to enable the "Show only corrupt preferences files" or the output is somewhat cumbersome.

Hope this helps.

 

[rbkhockey83]

You don't really need one. Clean your Safari caches and that's about it. I have a 24" iMac from 2008 and it still runs fine, never used any cleanup apps. When I delete an app, I know enough to look for its' preferences files.

Thanks for the reply, I also have a 2008 iMac (but it's the baseline one) and it runs fast, I just want to keep it that way . I did delete CleanMyMac though.

 

[GGJstudios]

One app that I would not recommend, based on the number of complaints that have been posted in this forum and elsewhere, is CleanMyMac. As an example: CleanMyMac cleaned too much.

You don't need "cleaner" apps to keep your Mac running efficiently. Mac OS X does a good job of maintaining itself, without the need for 3rd party apps. Many have successfully used Monolingual to remove unwanted languages and architectures to free up drive space, but even that will not make your Mac run faster.

Be aware that extreme caution should be exercised when using such apps, as deleting certain languages or architectures can create significant problems. At best, deleting these things may buy you 1-2GB of drive space, but will not improve your system's performance. If you're not certain about what you're doing, don't delete anything. The small drive space savings are not worth the risk of potential problems.

In most cases, app removal software doesn't do a thorough job of deleting files/folders related to deleted apps. For more information, read this.

The most effective method for complete app removal is manual deletion:

Best way to FULLY DELETE a program​