diff --git a/bin/rm_files.py b/bin/rm_files.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..cf9857be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/rm_files.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+# -*- coding: utf8 -*-
+# clean pfem workspaces
+
+import os, glob, re
+
+# folder = 'CylinderRiseOil_CylinderRiseSmall_Re50'
+folder = 'FlowAroundCylinderRe200_LargeMeshRef1'
+os.chdir(folder)
+
+# build and sort res files
+files = glob.glob('res_*.vtu')
+nfiles=len(files)
+print(f'nfiles={nfiles}')
+def file_time(f):
+    m = re.match(r'res_(\d+).vtu', f)
+    return int(m.group(1))
+files.sort(key=file_time)
+
+if 0:
+    # delete the "delete_to" first files
+    delete_to = 1700
+
+    for i,f in enumerate(files[:delete_to]):
+        fullpath = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(folder,f))
+        print(f'{i+1}: rm {fullpath}')
+        os.remove(f)
+
+if 0:
+    # delete the files from "delete_from"
+    delete_from = 500
+
+    for i,f in enumerate(files[delete_from:]):
+        fullpath = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(folder,f))
+        print(f'{i+1}: rm {fullpath}')
+        os.remove(f)
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