# Database Cleaner Tool?

**URL:** <https://meta.discourse.org/t/database-cleaner-tool/346514>\
**Category:** Product Support\
**Created:** [January 10, 2025, 2:45pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/database-cleaner-tool/346514 "2025-01-10T14:45:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 3

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**Author:** ![LotusJeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/lotusjeff/32/477888_2.png) [@LotusJeff](https://meta.discourse.org/u/LotusJeff)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2025, 3:13pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/database-cleaner-tool/346514/3 "2025-01-10T15:13:44Z")

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> [@merefield](#):
>
> However, I believe backups will include all the tables that existed in the instance you backed up from and that may include any created by plugins, even if you have not installed the plugin on the new instance.

This is why “install a new environment and restore a backup” is not the best solution. You still have leftovers from old components and plugins hanging in the database.

There should be a last-effort tool that strips out any component and plugin changes to the database and leaves the data and site settings alone. This tool could be run before going to the new install solution.

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