diff --git a/examples/lib/package/ex_remove_files.py b/examples/lib/package/ex_remove_files.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7099ace
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/lib/package/ex_remove_files.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import logging
+
+from hyo2.abc2.lib.logging import set_logging
+from hyo2.abc2.lib.package.pkg_helper import PkgHelper
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+set_logging(ns_list=["hyo2.abc2"])
+
+folder_path = r"C:\code\hyo2\hyo2_grids"
+
+filter_files = (
+    r"desktop.ini",
+)
+filter_folders = (
+    r"__pycache__",
+)
+
+PkgHelper.clean_folder(folder=folder_path, filter_files=filter_files, filter_folders=filter_folders)
diff --git a/hyo2/abc2/__init__.py b/hyo2/abc2/__init__.py
index d6fdf21..71f7072 100644
--- a/hyo2/abc2/__init__.py
+++ b/hyo2/abc2/__init__.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 logger.addHandler(logging.NullHandler())
 
 name = "ABC"
-__version__ = "2.3.10"
+__version__ = "2.3.11"
 __license__ = "LGPLv3 license"
 __copyright__ = "Copyright 2024 University of New Hampshire, Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping"
 
diff --git a/hyo2/abc2/lib/package/pkg_helper.py b/hyo2/abc2/lib/package/pkg_helper.py
index ea118be..20ac19e 100644
--- a/hyo2/abc2/lib/package/pkg_helper.py
+++ b/hyo2/abc2/lib/package/pkg_helper.py
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@
 import logging
 import os
 import platform
+import shutil
 import subprocess
 import sys
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
-from typing import Optional
 
 import psutil
 from appdirs import user_data_dir
@@ -24,6 +24,38 @@ class PkgHelper:
     def __init__(self, pkg_info: PkgInfo):
         self._pi = pkg_info
 
+    @classmethod
+    def clean_folder(cls, folder: str, filter_files: tuple[str] | None, filter_folders: tuple[str] | None) -> None:
+
+        if not os.path.exists(folder):
+            raise RuntimeError("Unable to locate the folder to clean: %s" % folder)
+
+        logger.info("cleaning folder: %s ..." % folder)
+        if not filter_files:
+            filter_files = ()
+        logger.debug("file filters: %s" % (filter_files,))
+        if not filter_folders:
+            filter_folders = ()
+        logger.debug("folder filters: %s" % (filter_folders,))
+
+        for dir_path, dir_names, files in os.walk(folder):
+
+            for d in dir_names:
+
+                if d in filter_folders:
+                    full_path = os.path.join(dir_path, d)
+                    shutil.rmtree(full_path)
+                    logger.debug("deleted folder: %s" % full_path)
+
+            for f in files:
+
+                if f in filter_files:
+                    full_path = os.path.join(dir_path, f)
+                    os.remove(full_path)
+                    logger.debug("deleted file: %s" % full_path)
+
+        logger.info("cleaning folder: %s ... DONE" % folder)
+
     @classmethod
     def explore_folder(cls, path: str) -> bool:
         """Open the passed path using OS-native commands"""
@@ -383,7 +415,7 @@ def import_class(cl):
 
         return msg
 
-    def web_url(self, suffix: Optional[str] = None) -> str:
+    def web_url(self, suffix: str | None = None) -> str:
 
         url = '%s%s' % (self._pi.url, self._pi.version.replace('.', '_'),)
         if self.is_pydro():
diff --git a/scripts/cleaning/remove_pycache.py b/scripts/cleaning/remove_pycache.py
deleted file mode 100644
index eb69fe9..0000000
--- a/scripts/cleaning/remove_pycache.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-import os
-import shutil
-
-
-def remove_pycache(folder: str):
-
-    print("folder path: %s" % folder)
-
-    for dir_path, dir_names, files in os.walk(folder):
-
-        for d in dir_names:
-
-            if d == "__pycache__":
-
-                full_path = os.path.join(dir_path, d)
-                print(full_path)
-                shutil.rmtree(full_path)
-
-
-folder_path = r"C:\code\hyo2\abc\hyo2_huddl"
-
-remove_pycache(folder=folder_path)