How To Find Hidden Tables Left By Deleted Plugins In WordPress Database

Most of you who are using shared web hosting service, one of your key concern is using up too much memory and CPU usage to your hosting server.

It will then slow down your loading time and if suddenly you have massive web traffic heading to your site, your site can screwed.

Your eager visitors may not be able to access your site, except a blank screen with the message: Error Establishing a Database Connection.

plugin garbage collector clean up deleted pluginsin database

One of things which can add unnecessary load to your database is those old plugins which you had uninstalled or deleted.

You would be surprised that these unwanted extra tables are still occupying a huge space in your database.

Here is a useful tool which can help you to dig out those hidden garbage. It is called Plugin Garbage Collector.

It scans your WordPress database and it will show you those old plugins which you deactivated or uninstalled , but they are still taking up space in the database.

The other week I installed WP Mobile Detector mobile plugin that helps my site responsive to iPhone, Android, iPad, and other smart phones.

But then later I deleted it away and replaced with WPtouch Mobile Plugin.

Then today, when I checked with with Plugin Garbage Collector (set to show hidden table), I discovered there were tables called wp_websitez_stats with 24.66 KBytes and wp_stt2_meta with 68.82 KBytes  from the  deleted Mobile Detector plugin.

You should install this useful tool help you to dig out old useless data that was left behind in the database.

1. Go to Plugin Garbage Collector at: http://wordpress.org/plugins/plugins-garbage-collector/

2. Install it and then activate it.

3. Go to the “Tools” at WordPress dashboard.

4. You should see the name “Plugins Garbage Collector“. Click on it.

5. It offers two options: “Search none-WP tables” and “Show hidden tables“.

6. You start off by just use the first option, that is Search none WP-tables. Click Scan button.

7. A box will pop up and you click OK button.

8. Anything which it finds that it is not active, it will indicate in red color.

9. Check and make sure they are stuff which you do not want them in your database, then only you click Delete Tables button.

It is because after you have deleted them, they would be permanently removed.

10. After this, you check (tick) the second option (“Show hidden tables“).

11. Again click the Scan button.

12. Again if there is any remark in red color, make sure you know what they are. Then click on Delete Tables button.