diff --git a/pkg/content/content.go b/pkg/content/content.go
index 344fb59e..f192c738 100644
--- a/pkg/content/content.go
+++ b/pkg/content/content.go
@@ -76,6 +76,10 @@ func (c Manager) AfterPullFile(path string) error {
 }
 
 func (c Manager) CleanDir(root string) error {
+	if !pathx.Exists(root) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot clean directory as it does not exist: %s", root)
+	}
+	log.Infof("cleaning directory %s", root)
 	if err := c.cleanDotContents(root); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -88,13 +92,15 @@ func (c Manager) CleanDir(root string) error {
 	if err := deleteEmptyDirs(root); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	log.Infof("cleaned %s directory", root)
 	return nil
 }
 
 func (c Manager) CleanFile(path string) error {
 	if !pathx.Exists(path) {
-		return fmt.Errorf("file does not exist: %s", path)
+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot clean file as it does not exist: %s", path)
 	}
+	log.Infof("cleaning file %s", path)
 	if err := c.cleanDotContentFile(path); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -104,6 +110,7 @@ func (c Manager) CleanFile(path string) error {
 	if err := deleteEmptyDirs(filepath.Dir(path)); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	log.Infof("cleaned %s file", path)
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -142,7 +149,7 @@ func (c Manager) cleanDotContentFile(path string) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	log.Infof("cleaning file %s", path)
+	log.Debugf("cleaning dot content file %s", path)
 	inputLines, err := readLines(path)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -241,9 +248,9 @@ func (c Manager) flattenFile(path string) error {
 
 	dest := filepath.Dir(path) + ".xml"
 	if pathx.Exists(dest) {
-		log.Infof("flattening file (override): %s", path)
+		log.Debugf("flattening file (override): %s", path)
 	} else {
-		log.Infof("flattening file: %s", path)
+		log.Debugf("flattening file: %s", path)
 	}
 	return os.Rename(path, dest)
 }
@@ -272,7 +279,7 @@ func deleteDir(dir string) error {
 	if !pathx.Exists(dir) {
 		return nil
 	}
-	log.Infof("deleting dir %s", dir)
+	log.Debugf("deleting dir %s", dir)
 	return os.RemoveAll(dir)
 }
 
@@ -280,7 +287,7 @@ func deleteFile(path string, allowedFunc func() bool) error {
 	if !pathx.Exists(path) || allowedFunc != nil && !allowedFunc() {
 		return nil
 	}
-	log.Infof("deleting file %s", path)
+	log.Debugf("deleting file %s", path)
 	return os.Remove(path)
 }
 
@@ -301,11 +308,10 @@ func deleteEmptyDirs(root string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 	if len(entries) == 0 {
+		log.Debugf("deleting empty directory %s", root)
 		if err = os.Remove(root); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		log.Infof("deleting empty directory %s", root)
-
 	}
 	return nil
 }
@@ -314,7 +320,8 @@ func (c Manager) doParentsBackup(root string) error {
 	return eachParentFiles(root, func(parent string) error {
 		return eachFilesInDir(parent, func(path string) error {
 			if !strings.HasSuffix(path, ParentsBackupSuffix) {
-				if err := c.backupFile(path, "doing backup of parent file: %s"); err != nil {
+				log.Debugf("doing backup of parent file: %s", path)
+				if err := c.backupFile(path); err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
 			}
@@ -327,7 +334,8 @@ func (c Manager) doSiblingsBackup(file string) error {
 	dir := filepath.Dir(file)
 	return eachFilesInDir(dir, func(path string) error {
 		if path != file && !strings.HasSuffix(path, ParentsBackupSuffix) {
-			if err := c.backupFile(path, "doing backup of file: %s"); err != nil {
+			log.Debugf("doing backup of file: %s", path)
+			if err := c.backupFile(path); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 		}
@@ -359,7 +367,7 @@ func (c Manager) undoParentsBackup(root string) error {
 		return eachFilesInDir(parent, func(path string) error {
 			if strings.HasSuffix(path, ParentsBackupSuffix) {
 				origin := strings.TrimSuffix(path, ParentsBackupSuffix)
-				log.Infof("undoing backup of parent file: %s", path)
+				log.Debugf("undoing backup of parent file: %s", path)
 				return os.Rename(path, origin)
 			}
 			return nil
@@ -372,7 +380,7 @@ func (c Manager) undoSiblingBackup(path string) error {
 	return eachFilesInDir(dir, func(path string) error {
 		if strings.HasSuffix(path, ParentsBackupSuffix) {
 			origin := strings.TrimSuffix(path, ParentsBackupSuffix)
-			log.Infof("undoing backup of file: %s", path)
+			log.Debugf("undoing backup of file: %s", path)
 			return os.Rename(path, origin)
 		} else if strings.HasSuffix(path, ParentsBackupDirIndicator) {
 			return deleteFile(path, nil)
@@ -433,7 +441,7 @@ func writeLines(path string, lines []string) error {
 	return err
 }
 
-func (c Manager) backupFile(path string, format string) error {
+func (c Manager) backupFile(path string) error {
 	dir := filepath.Dir(path)
 	indicator, err := os.Create(filepath.Join(dir, ParentsBackupDirIndicator))
 	if err != nil {
@@ -457,7 +465,6 @@ func (c Manager) backupFile(path string, format string) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	log.Infof(format, path)
 	return nil
 }