In short
- Start in Setup > Storage Usage: it lists the objects using the space.
- Log and staging objects written by scheduled jobs and integrations are the first place to look.
- Back up, then bulk delete with the Bulk API, and fix whatever was writing the records.
- Keep files in file storage, and keep only the records your team still uses in Salesforce.
Find what is filling Salesforce data storage
Go to Setup, then Storage Usage. You see data storage and file storage, each against its own limit, and a list of objects ranked by the storage they use.
- Data storage holds records: leads, contacts, opportunities, tasks, and custom object records. Salesforce counts a record at about 2 KB, with some exceptions.
- File storage holds files, attachments and documents.
A full data storage is a record count problem. Extra rows on one object add up fast.
Where the extra records come from
- Log objects: a custom object that saves every API call or error from a scheduled job or integration.
- Staging records left behind by imports and syncs.
- Orphaned records whose parent was deleted or migrated.
- Old tasks, email messages and activity history nobody reports on.
- Documents saved as records instead of as files.
Logs are worth checking first. A batch that runs on a schedule and writes a log row on every call grows without a ceiling, and if the call is failing, it logs the failure every time too.
1. Back up before you delete anything
Take a backup of the objects you plan to clear. With Spanning Backup for Salesforce, run an on-demand backup first. Without a backup tool, export the records with Data Loader or the Data Export service.
2. Bulk delete with the Bulk API
Deleting large volumes one page at a time does not work. Use Bulk API 2.0, through Data Loader or a script.
Query the IDs
Write a SOQL query for the records to remove, for example SELECT Id FROM Api_Log__c WHERE CreatedDate < 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z, and export the IDs.
Run a delete job
Submit the IDs as a Bulk API 2.0 delete job. Hard delete skips the Recycle Bin, and needs the Bulk API Hard Delete permission.
Check the results
Read the failed-records file, fix what blocked them (a trigger, a validation rule, a lookup), and rerun.
Recheck Storage Usage
Confirm the object dropped down the list.
Turn off triggers and flows on the object first if they would fire on delete and slow the job or fail it.
Talk through your project
A free call about your integration, your CRM or whatever you are stuck on. Honest advice, even if you never hire us. No obligation.
3. Stop it from filling up again
- Fix the cause. If a job logs errors on every run, fix the error, like a broken endpoint, not only the log.
- Log less: errors only, not every successful call, or turn logging off once a sync is stable.
- Add a scheduled cleanup job that deletes log records past an age you choose.
- Set a storage alert, so the team hears about it before Salesforce blocks new records.
4. Move files and old documents out of data storage
- Store documents as Salesforce Files, so they use file storage instead of data storage.
- Keep recent documents in Salesforce, and leave older ones in the system they came from, linked from the record.
- Compare the options before buying storage: Salesforce data storage, Salesforce file storage, or a drive linked from the record.
If you still need more after the cleanup, we work with Salesforce reps directly to get you the best price we can on extra storage.
Getting help with Salesforce storage
We clear storage, fix the jobs behind it and set up cleanup in the Salesforce orgs we manage. If your org is out of space, book a free call.
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