ClutteredCluttered
Back to Blog
Tutorialdocker clear cacheclear docker cachedocker clean builddocker prunedocker cachedocker disk spacedocker cleanup

Clear Docker Cache: How to Clean Build Cache, Images & Containers

Learn how to clear Docker cache with docker system prune, docker builder prune, and other commands. Free up 10-50GB by cleaning build cache, images, and containers.

Cluttered Team
December 30, 2025
7 min read

Docker caches everything—build layers, images, containers, and volumes. Running docker system prune is the fastest way to clear Docker cache, but there are more targeted commands depending on what you need to clean.

This guide covers every Docker cache clearing command and when to use each.

Check Docker Cache Size

First, see how much space Docker is using:

docker system df

Output:

TYPE            TOTAL     ACTIVE    SIZE      RECLAIMABLE
Images          45        12        18.5GB    12.3GB (66%)
Containers      23        3         2.1GB     1.9GB (90%)
Local Volumes   12        5         5.2GB     3.1GB (59%)
Build Cache     -         -         8.4GB     8.4GB

The "RECLAIMABLE" column shows what you can safely clear—often 20-50GB.

For detailed view:

docker system df -v

Docker Cache Types Explained

Docker Build Cache

Created by docker build. Each Dockerfile instruction caches a layer:

docker builder du

Docker Image Cache

Pulled and built images. Shared layers between images accumulate:

docker images

Docker Container Cache

Stopped containers keep their writable layer:

docker ps -a

Docker Volume Cache

Named volumes persist data between container runs:

docker volume ls

How to Clear Docker Build Cache

Build cache often grows largest. Clear it with:

docker builder prune

Clear All Docker Build Cache

Including active cache entries:

docker builder prune -a

Clear Docker Build Cache Without Confirmation

docker builder prune -f

Keep Recent Docker Build Cache

Clear cache older than 24 hours:

docker builder prune --filter "until=24h"

Keep last 5GB:

docker builder prune --keep-storage 5GB

How to Clear Docker Image Cache

Remove Dangling Docker Images

Untagged images from old builds:

docker image prune

Always safe, typically recovers several GB.

Remove All Unused Docker Images

Images not used by any container:

docker image prune -a

Note: Requires re-pulling images later.

Remove Docker Images by Age

docker image prune -a --filter "until=720h"  # 30 days

Remove Specific Docker Images

docker rmi nginx:latest
docker rmi abc123def456
docker rmi nginx redis postgres

How to Clear Docker Container Cache

Remove stopped containers:

docker container prune

View Stopped Containers First

docker ps -a --filter "status=exited"

Remove Specific Containers

docker rm container_name_or_id
docker rm -f running_container  # Force

How to Clear Docker Volume Cache

Remove orphaned volumes:

docker volume prune

Warning: This deletes data. Check volumes first:

docker volume ls
docker volume inspect volume_name

Docker System Prune: Clear All Docker Cache

The fastest way to clear Docker cache:

docker system prune

Removes:

  • Stopped containers
  • Dangling images
  • Unused networks
  • Dangling build cache

Clear All Docker Cache Including Volumes

Maximum cleanup:

docker system prune -a --volumes

Warning: Aggressive. Removes all unused images and volumes.

Docker System Prune Without Confirmation

docker system prune -f
docker system prune -af --volumes  # Nuclear option

Docker Cache Command Reference

CommandWhat It ClearsSafe?Space Recovery
docker builder pruneBuild cache✅ Yes2-10GB
docker image pruneDangling images✅ Yes1-5GB
docker image prune -aUnused images⚠️ Mostly5-20GB
docker container pruneStopped containers✅ Usually100MB-2GB
docker volume pruneUnused volumes⚠️ Data loss!1-10GB
docker system pruneAll dangling✅ Yes5-15GB
docker system prune -a --volumesEverything unused⚠️ Aggressive10-50GB

Docker cleanup doesn't have to be manual

Cluttered shows your Docker resources visually before cleaning.

Download Free

Docker Clean Build (Build Without Cache)

Sometimes you want a fresh build without clearing cache:

# Build without cache
docker build --no-cache -t myapp .

# Also pull fresh base image
docker build --no-cache --pull -t myapp .

Useful for:

  • Debugging build issues
  • Ensuring reproducible builds
  • CI/CD pipelines

Docker BuildKit Cache

If using BuildKit (Docker's modern build engine):

# Check BuildKit cache
docker buildx du

# Clear BuildKit cache
docker buildx prune

# Clear all BuildKit data
docker buildx prune -a

Docker Cache Location

macOS (Docker Desktop)

~/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker/Data/vms/0/data/

Windows (Docker Desktop)

%LOCALAPPDATA%\Docker\wsl\data\

Linux

/var/lib/docker/

Don't manually delete these files—use Docker commands instead.

Automate Docker Cleanup

Cron Job for Docker Cache

# Weekly cleanup - add to crontab -e
0 3 * * 0 docker system prune -f >> /var/log/docker-prune.log 2>&1

Docker Compose Cleanup

docker-compose down           # Stop, remove containers/networks
docker-compose down -v        # Also remove volumes
docker-compose down --rmi all # Also remove images

CI/CD Docker Cleanup

# GitHub Actions
- name: Docker cleanup
  if: always()
  run: docker system prune -f

Docker Disk Space: Reclaimable Space Explained

The docker system df output shows "RECLAIMABLE" space:

TYPE            SIZE      RECLAIMABLE
Images          18.5GB    12.3GB (66%)

This means:

  • 18.5GB total images on disk
  • 12.3GB reclaimable (unused images)
  • 6.2GB in use (by running/stopped containers)

To reclaim that 12.3GB:

docker image prune -a

How Cluttered Helps with Docker Cleanup

Cluttered makes Docker cleanup visual and safe:

  • Visual overview: See all Docker resources at a glance
  • Reclaimable space: Instantly see recovery potential
  • Smart detection: Identifies safe vs. risky deletions
  • Project context: Knows which images belong to which projects
  • Multi-tool: Cleans Docker alongside Node, Rust, Go, and more

Unlike command-line prunes, Cluttered lets you selectively clean.

Docker Best Practices to Reduce Cache Growth

1. Use Specific Image Tags

# Bad - accumulates versions
FROM node:latest

# Good - consistent version
FROM node:20.10-slim

2. Use Slim/Alpine Base Images

FROM python:3.12          # 900MB
FROM python:3.12-slim     # 150MB
FROM python:3.12-alpine   # 50MB

3. Multi-Stage Docker Builds

FROM node:20 AS builder
WORKDIR /app
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm ci
COPY . .
RUN npm run build

FROM node:20-slim
COPY --from=builder /app/dist ./dist
CMD ["node", "dist/index.js"]

4. Use .dockerignore

node_modules
.git
*.log
.env
coverage
dist

5. Combine RUN Commands

RUN apt-get update \
    && apt-get install -y curl \
    && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*

Docker Disk Space Recovery Expectations

Docker UsageTotal CacheReclaimable
Light (5-10 images)5-10GB3-5GB
Medium (20-30 images)15-30GB10-20GB
Heavy (50+ images)40-80GB25-50GB
CI/CD Workers50-100GB30-70GB

Most developers recover 10-30GB from Docker cleanup.

Free Download

Stop Running Out of Disk Space

Cluttered finds and cleans node_modules, Rust targets, Xcode DerivedData, Docker cache, and more. Reclaim 50-100GB in minutes.

50-100GBtypical recovery
12+ecosystems
Safegit-aware cleanup
Download for MacmacOS 12.0+ · Apple Silicon & Intel

Frequently Asked Questions

Will clearing Docker cache break running containers?

No. Prune commands only affect unused resources. Running containers and their images are protected.

How often should I clear Docker cache?

Monthly for most developers. CI/CD systems should clean after each job or daily.

Does Docker cache clearing affect Docker Compose projects?

Only stopped services. Running services are unaffected.

Can I recover deleted Docker images?

Only if pushed to a registry. Local deletions are permanent.

Why does Docker cache grow so fast?

Common causes:

  • Building many image versions
  • Using :latest tags
  • Missing .dockerignore
  • Never running prune commands

What's the difference between docker prune commands?

  • docker system prune - cleans containers, images, networks, build cache
  • docker builder prune - only build cache
  • docker image prune - only images
  • docker container prune - only containers
  • docker volume prune - only volumes (data!)

How do I clear Docker cache on Mac?

Same commands work. Docker Desktop manages storage in a VM:

docker system prune -a --volumes

For Docker Desktop specifically, you can also: Settings > Resources > Disk image size.

Conclusion

Clearing Docker cache is essential maintenance. Start with docker builder prune for quick wins, use docker system prune for routine cleanup, and reserve docker system prune -a --volumes for when you need maximum space recovery.

For visual, safe Docker cleanup alongside your other development tools, try Cluttered.

Download Cluttered to automate Docker cleanup alongside 11 other development ecosystems.