diff --git a/HISTORY.rst b/HISTORY.rst
index 2b307a33d7..22461dad10 100644
--- a/HISTORY.rst
+++ b/HISTORY.rst
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ PlatformIO Core 6
 * Fixed an issue when the `build_unflags <https://docs.platformio.org/en/latest/projectconf/section_env_build.html#build-unflags>`__ option was not applied to the ``ASPPFLAGS`` scope
 * Fixed an issue on Windows OS when flags were wrapped to the temporary file while generating the `Compilation database "compile_commands.json" <https://docs.platformio.org/en/latest/integration/compile_commands.html>`__
 * Fixed an issue with the `LDF <https://docs.platformio.org/en/latest/librarymanager/ldf.html>`__ when recursively scanning dependencies in the ``chain`` mode
+* Fixed a "PermissionError" on Windows when running "clean" or "cleanall" targets (`issue #4331 <https://github.com/platformio/platformio-core/issues/4331>`_)
 
 6.0.2 (2022-06-01)
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
diff --git a/platformio/builder/tools/piotarget.py b/platformio/builder/tools/piotarget.py
index 7436acaf64..2dfdf3d8da 100644
--- a/platformio/builder/tools/piotarget.py
+++ b/platformio/builder/tools/piotarget.py
@@ -43,26 +43,19 @@ def _relpath(path):
 
     def _clean_dir(path):
         clean_rel_path = _relpath(path)
-        for root, _, files in os.walk(path):
-            for f in files:
-                dst = os.path.join(root, f)
-                os.remove(dst)
-                print(
-                    "Removed %s"
-                    % (dst if not clean_rel_path.startswith(".") else _relpath(dst))
-                )
+        print(f"Removing `{clean_rel_path}` folder...", end="")
+        fs.rmtree(path)
+        print(" done!")
 
     build_dir = env.subst("$BUILD_DIR")
     libdeps_dir = env.subst("$PROJECT_LIBDEPS_DIR")
     if os.path.isdir(build_dir):
         _clean_dir(build_dir)
-        fs.rmtree(build_dir)
     else:
         print("Build environment is clean")
 
     if clean_all and os.path.isdir(libdeps_dir):
         _clean_dir(libdeps_dir)
-        fs.rmtree(libdeps_dir)
 
     print("Done cleaning")