mˈaɪkɹəsˌɑːft fˈɜːst ɹᵻlˈiːst ðə juːtˈɪlᵻɾi ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti nˈaɪn tə hˈɛlp wˈɪndoʊzbˈeɪst kəmpjˈuːɾɚz klˈiːn ˌʌp ɪnstˈɔːld pɹˈoʊɡɹæmz ðæt wʊd ˈiːðɚ ɹᵻfjˈuːz ɔːɹ pɹɪtˈɛnd nˌɑːt tə ɹᵻmˈuːv ðɛmsˈɛlvz fɹʌmðə "ˈæd slˈæʃ ɹᵻmˈuːv pɹˈoʊɡɹæmz" fˈiːtʃɚɹ ɪn mˈaɪkɹəsˌɑːft wˈɪndoʊz.
Microsoft first released the utility in 1999 to help Windows-based computers clean up installed programs that would either refuse or pretend not to remove themselves from the "add/remove programs" feature in Microsoft Windows.