diff --git a/cmd/server/main.go b/cmd/server/main.go
index 3983574..49d07d2 100644
--- a/cmd/server/main.go
+++ b/cmd/server/main.go
@@ -90,6 +90,15 @@ func getWorkerBufferSize(serverOpts []server.Opt) []server.Opt {
 	return append(serverOpts, server.WithWorkerBufferSize(value))
 }
 
+func getCleanExpiredEventsFreq(serverOpts []server.Opt) []server.Opt {
+	value, err := time.ParseDuration(os.Getenv("BUS_CLEAN_EXPIRED_EVENTS_FREQ"))
+	if err != nil {
+		return serverOpts
+	}
+
+	return append(serverOpts, server.WithCleanExpiredEventsFreq(value))
+}
+
 func main() {
 	ctx := context.TODO()
 
@@ -104,6 +113,7 @@ func main() {
 	serverOpts = getBatchWindowSize(serverOpts)
 	serverOpts = getBatchWindowDuration(serverOpts)
 	serverOpts = getWorkerBufferSize(serverOpts)
+	serverOpts = getCleanExpiredEventsFreq(serverOpts)
 
 	handler, err := server.New(
 		ctx,
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 448a70a..3b43671 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ services:
       - BUS_BATCH_WINDOW_SIZE=100
       - BUS_BATCH_WINDOW_DURATION=5s
       - BUS_WORKER_BUFFER_SIZE=1000
+      - BUS_CLEAN_EXPIRED_EVENTS_FREQ=30s
 
     # if ports is removed, then the bus service can
     # only be accessed from within the network bus
diff --git a/server/server.db.go b/server/server.db.go
index 9ba3a6b..27ab826 100644
--- a/server/server.db.go
+++ b/server/server.db.go
@@ -99,3 +99,10 @@ func (h *Handler) CreateConsumer(ctx context.Context, consumer *bus.Consumer) (e
 
 	return
 }
+
+func (h *Handler) DeleteExpiredEvents(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
+	h.dbw.Submit(func(conn *sqlite.Conn) {
+		err = storage.DeleteExpiredEvents(ctx, conn)
+	})
+	return
+}
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index 785608f..9f5ea28 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -20,11 +20,12 @@ import (
 // OPTIONS
 
 type config struct {
-	dbOpts              []sqlite.OptionFunc
-	dbPoolSize          int
-	batchWindowSize     int
-	batchWindowDuration time.Duration
-	workerBufferSize    int64
+	dbOpts                 []sqlite.OptionFunc
+	dbPoolSize             int
+	batchWindowSize        int
+	batchWindowDuration    time.Duration
+	workerBufferSize       int64
+	cleanExpiredEventsFreq time.Duration
 }
 
 type Opt interface {
@@ -75,6 +76,13 @@ func WithWorkerBufferSize(size int64) Opt {
 	})
 }
 
+func WithCleanExpiredEventsFreq(freq time.Duration) Opt {
+	return optFn(func(s *config) error {
+		s.cleanExpiredEventsFreq = freq
+		return nil
+	})
+}
+
 // HANDLER
 
 type Handler struct {
@@ -82,6 +90,7 @@ type Handler struct {
 	dbw               *sqlite.Worker
 	consumersEventMap *bus.ConsumersEventMap
 	batch             *batch.Sort
+	closeCh           chan struct{}
 }
 
 var _ http.Handler = (*Handler)(nil)
@@ -393,6 +402,26 @@ func (h *Handler) notify(consumerId string, event *bus.Event) {
 	}
 }
 
+func (h *Handler) removeExpiredEventsLoop(ctx context.Context, freq time.Duration) {
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return
+		case <-time.After(freq):
+			err := h.DeleteExpiredEvents(ctx)
+			if err != nil {
+				slog.Error("failed to delete expired events", "error", err)
+			}
+		case <-h.closeCh:
+			return
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (h *Handler) Close() {
+	close(h.closeCh)
+}
+
 func (h *Handler) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	h.mux.ServeHTTP(w, r)
 }
@@ -402,9 +431,10 @@ func New(ctx context.Context, opts ...Opt) (*Handler, error) {
 		dbOpts: []sqlite.OptionFunc{
 			sqlite.WithMemory(),
 		},
-		batchWindowSize:     20,
-		batchWindowDuration: 500 * time.Millisecond,
-		workerBufferSize:    1000,
+		batchWindowSize:        20,
+		batchWindowDuration:    500 * time.Millisecond,
+		workerBufferSize:       1000,
+		cleanExpiredEventsFreq: 30 * time.Second,
 	}
 	for _, opt := range opts {
 		err := opt.configureHandler(conf)
@@ -419,6 +449,7 @@ func New(ctx context.Context, opts ...Opt) (*Handler, error) {
 
 	h := &Handler{
 		consumersEventMap: bus.NewConsumersEventMap(conf.dbPoolSize, 2*time.Second),
+		closeCh:           make(chan struct{}),
 	}
 
 	h.batch = batch.NewSort(conf.batchWindowSize, conf.batchWindowDuration, func(events []*bus.Event) {
@@ -443,5 +474,7 @@ func New(ctx context.Context, opts ...Opt) (*Handler, error) {
 	h.mux.HandleFunc("HEAD /", h.ackedHandler)            // HEAD /?consumer_id=123&event_id=456
 	h.mux.HandleFunc("DELETE /", h.deleteConsumerHandler) // DELETE /?consumer_id=123
 
+	go h.removeExpiredEventsLoop(ctx, conf.cleanExpiredEventsFreq)
+
 	return h, nil
 }
diff --git a/server/storage/queries.go b/server/storage/queries.go
index 2245d85..198439f 100644
--- a/server/storage/queries.go
+++ b/server/storage/queries.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	"ella.to/bus"
 	"ella.to/sqlite"
@@ -406,3 +407,27 @@ func AckEvent(ctx context.Context, conn *sqlite.Conn, consumerId, eventId string
 	_, err = stmt.Step()
 	return err
 }
+
+func DeleteExpiredEventsBeforeDate(ctx context.Context, conn *sqlite.Conn, before time.Time) (err error) {
+	defer conn.Save(&err)()
+
+	const sql = `DELETE FROM events WHERE expires_at < ?;`
+
+	stmt, err := conn.Prepare(ctx, sql, before)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	defer stmt.Finalize()
+
+	_, err = stmt.Step()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func DeleteExpiredEvents(ctx context.Context, conn *sqlite.Conn) (err error) {
+	return DeleteExpiredEventsBeforeDate(ctx, conn, time.Now())
+}
diff --git a/server/storage/schema/0001-data.sql b/server/storage/schema/0001-data.sql
index b42f732..bc7899f 100644
--- a/server/storage/schema/0001-data.sql
+++ b/server/storage/schema/0001-data.sql
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS consumers_queue_name ON consumers (queue_name);
 
 CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS consumers_last_event_id ON consumers (last_event_id);
 
+CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS consumers_expires_in ON consumers (expires_in);
+
 --
 -- CONSUMERS_EVENTS
 --