Nexcess.comServers.comLiquidWeb.com
Search our site for answers
Log in
Help Docs Software Kadence Kadence Solid Kadence Solid References Legacy Clearing caches and transients in WordPress

Clearing caches and transients in WordPress

Many issues in WordPress such as: outdated vulnerability reports, changes not appearing, or old content showing, are caused by stale cache or transients. Clearing caches and transients help ensure you’re working with up-to-date data. This guide walks through the common places where cached data lives and how to clear them.

Before you begin: take a quick backup of your database (recommended), because some cache clearing actions (object cache flush, DB-level changes) can be disruptive. Please check with your host if you’re unsure.

Quick Checklist

  1. Clear your browser cache.
  2. Clear plugin/page caches (Solid Performance or other cache plugin).
  3. Purge CDN cache (Cloudflare, BunnyCDN, etc.).
  4. Clear server-level and object caches (Varnish, Redis, Memcached).
  5. Delete WordPress transients.
  6. Recheck your site or run the task again (e.g., plugin scan, page load).

How to clear caches and transients (step-by-step)

1) Clear browser cache

Start by clearing your browser’s cache or try opening the site in an incognito/private window to quickly rule out a browser cache issue.

Google Chrome / Microsoft Edge (Chromium)

  1. Press�Ctrl + Shift + Delete�(Windows) or�Command + Shift + Delete�(Mac).
  2. Select�Cached images and files.
  3. Choose the time range.
  4. Click�Clear data.

Firefox

  1. Press�Ctrl + Shift + Delete�(Windows) or�Command + Shift + Delete�(Mac).
  2. Select�Cache.
  3. Choose the time range.
  4. Click�OK.

Safari (Mac)

  1. In the menu bar go to�Safari > Settings > Advanced.
  2. Enable�Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  3. Then go to�Develop > Empty Caches.

2) Clear plugin cache

If you use�Solid Performance, there are three ways you can clear the cache:

  • Admin bar: click�Solid Performance > Clear Page Cache.
  • Settings page:�Solid Performance > Basic > Purge Page Cache.
  • Manual deletion: remove files from�/wp-content/cache/page/[your-domain]/�via FTP or SSH.

For other caching plugins (e.g., WP Rocket, LiteSpeed Cache, W3 Total Cache, WP Super Cache, etc.), use the plugin’s “Purge / Clear cache” button.

3) Purge CDN cache

If your site uses a Content Delivery Network (CDN) service, clear its cache after purging the plugin/page cache.

Example: If using Cloudflare, go to Dashboard > Caching > Purge Cache >�Purge by URL�or�Purge Everything.

4) Clear server-level & object caches

If your host provides caching at the server level, clear those as well.

Examples:

  • Varnish: purge via hosting panel or service commands.
  • Redis (object cache):
    • Flush WP object cache: wp cache flush (use with caution)
    • Flush Redis cache: wp redis flush�or�redis-cli FLUSHDB�(use with caution)
  • Memcached���echo "flush_all" | nc localhost 11211.

Tip: make sure to always confirm with your host before flushing object caches, especially on shared environments.

5) Clear WordPress transients

WordPress transients store temporary data and can cause outdated information to appear.

There are two ways you can clear transients:

1) Via WP-CLI (recommended)

  • Run these commands:
# delete expired transients
wp transient delete --expired

# delete all transients
wp transient delete --all

2) Via Transients Manager plugin:

  • Install and activate�theTransients Manager�(or a similar plugin) and delete expired or all transients.

Some optimization plugins (e.g., WP-Optimize, WP Rocket) also include transient cleanup tools.

When troubleshooting Solid Security Site Scans

If your Solid Security plugin still reports a vulnerability that you’ve already fixed by updating the plugin to its patched version, following the cache clearing steps above and resetting Solid Security’s Scheduler can help so the Site Scanner refreshes its internal state.

To reset the Scheduler, enable the Debug mode by adding to your�wp-config.php:

define( 'ITSEC_DEBUG', true );

Once done, in WP Admin go to�Security > Debug > Scheduler and click Reset�to refresh the Site Scanner’s schedule.

Then, run a manual Site Scan via�Security > Site Scanner and check�the Security Logs > All Events�tab and confirm the scan log shows the updated status.

For a detailed guide about Solid Security’s Debug mode, browse this guide: All about Solid Security�s Debug Mode

Troubleshooting notes

  • If transients reappear with old data, a background job or staging site may be writing outdated state back.
  • If you use a host-managed object cache, contact your host to purge it safely.
  • Confirm plugin and theme versions directly in WP Admin�Plugins�or�Appearance > Themes.
Was this article helpful?