diff --git a/src/httpaste/__main__.py b/src/httpaste/__main__.py
index 399417f..4a6aae4 100644
--- a/src/httpaste/__main__.py
+++ b/src/httpaste/__main__.py
@@ -92,6 +92,20 @@ def command_init_backend(**kwargs):
     config.backend.paste.init()
 
 
+def command_sanitize_backend(**kwargs):
+    """sanitize the backend
+    """
+
+    from httpaste import load_config
+
+    config, _ = load_config(kwargs.get('config'))
+
+    config, _ = load_config(kwargs.get('config'))
+
+    config.backend.user.sanitize()
+    config.backend.paste.sanitize()
+
+
 def parser():
 
     p = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Process some integers.')
@@ -121,6 +135,11 @@ def parser():
         help=command_init_backend.__doc__)
     p_init_backend.add_argument('--config', '-c', required=True)
 
+    p_sanitize_backend = sp.add_parser(
+        'sanitize-backend',
+        help=command_sanitize_backend.__doc__)
+    p_sanitize_backend.add_argument('--config', '-c', required=True)
+
     return p
 
 
@@ -136,7 +155,8 @@ def main():
         'cgi': command_cgi,
         'fcgi': command_fcgi,
         'default-config': command_default_config,
-        'init-backend': command_init_backend
+        'init-backend': command_init_backend,
+        'sanitize-backend': command_sanitize_backend
     }[kwargs.pop('command')](**kwargs)
 
 
diff --git a/src/httpaste/backend/file/__init__.py b/src/httpaste/backend/file/__init__.py
index a8d1126..9352f8f 100644
--- a/src/httpaste/backend/file/__init__.py
+++ b/src/httpaste/backend/file/__init__.py
@@ -58,6 +58,13 @@ class User(object):
 
         return user.init(self.path)
 
+    def sanitize(self):
+
+        if self.path.exists():
+            return user.sanitize(self.path, self.model_class, self.model_schema)
+
+        return None
+
 
 class Paste(object):
     """Filesystem paste model backend
@@ -96,3 +103,10 @@ class Paste(object):
     def init(self):
 
         return paste.init(self.path)
+
+    def sanitize(self):
+
+        if self.path.exists():
+            return paste.sanitize(self.path, self.model_class, self.model_schema)
+
+        return None
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/httpaste/backend/file/paste.py b/src/httpaste/backend/file/paste.py
index faefaf0..dbeb341 100644
--- a/src/httpaste/backend/file/paste.py
+++ b/src/httpaste/backend/file/paste.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ acting as cells.
 """
 from pathlib import Path
 from ast import literal_eval
+from time import time
 
 
 COLUMNS = [
@@ -98,6 +99,22 @@ def init(path: Path):
     return None
 
 
+def sanitize(path: Path, model_class: type, model_schema: type):
+
+    for row in path.iterdir():
+
+        expiration_cell = row.joinpath('expiration')
+
+        if not expiration_cell.exists():
+            continue
+
+        expiration = literal_eval(expiration_cell.read_text())
+
+        if expiration < int(time()) and expiration > 0:
+
+            delete(model_class(bytes.fromhex(row.name)), path)
+
+
 def _rm_tree(pth: Path):
     for child in pth.iterdir():
         if child.is_file():
diff --git a/src/httpaste/backend/file/user.py b/src/httpaste/backend/file/user.py
index 72c9256..21e32d0 100644
--- a/src/httpaste/backend/file/user.py
+++ b/src/httpaste/backend/file/user.py
@@ -82,6 +82,11 @@ def init(path: Path):
     return None
 
 
+def sanitize(path: Path, model_class: type, model_schema: type):
+
+    return None
+
+
 def _rm_tree(pth: Path):
     for child in pth.iterdir():
         if child.is_file():
diff --git a/src/httpaste/backend/sqlite/__init__.py b/src/httpaste/backend/sqlite/__init__.py
index 8bd14e5..5680f5c 100644
--- a/src/httpaste/backend/sqlite/__init__.py
+++ b/src/httpaste/backend/sqlite/__init__.py
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ class User(object):
 
         return user.init(self.connection)
 
+    def sanitize(self):
+
+        return user.sanitize(self.connection, self.model_class)
+
 
 class Paste(object):
     """SQLite paste model backend
@@ -74,6 +78,10 @@ class Paste(object):
 
         return paste.init(self.connection)
 
+    def sanitize(self):
+
+        return paste.sanitize(self.connection, self.model_class)
+
 
 def get_connection(parameters: Parameters):
     """get an sqlite connection object
diff --git a/src/httpaste/backend/sqlite/paste.py b/src/httpaste/backend/sqlite/paste.py
index 150e3cb..bb0eb17 100644
--- a/src/httpaste/backend/sqlite/paste.py
+++ b/src/httpaste/backend/sqlite/paste.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 """
 from os import path
 from sqlite3 import Connection
+from time import time
 
 
 def load(proto: object, connection: Connection, model_class: type):
@@ -67,3 +68,14 @@ def init(connection: Connection):
         cur.execute(fh.read())
 
     connection.commit()
+
+
+def sanitize(connection: Connection, model_class: type) -> bool:
+
+    cur = connection.cursor()
+
+    cur.execute('''SELECT pid FROM pastes WHERE expiration < ? AND expiration > 0''', (int(time()),))
+
+    for row in cur.fetchall():
+
+        delete(model_class(row['pid']))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/httpaste/backend/sqlite/user.py b/src/httpaste/backend/sqlite/user.py
index 423b797..11fc53e 100644
--- a/src/httpaste/backend/sqlite/user.py
+++ b/src/httpaste/backend/sqlite/user.py
@@ -53,3 +53,8 @@ def init(connection: Connection):
         cur.execute(fh.read())
 
     connection.commit()
+
+
+def sanitize(connection: Connection, model_class) -> bool:
+
+    return None
\ No newline at end of file