diff --git a/examples/ping/ping.py b/examples/ping/ping.py
index 647a607b..d1a5daae 100644
--- a/examples/ping/ping.py
+++ b/examples/ping/ping.py
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ async def run(port: int, destination: str) -> None:
     host = new_host(listen_addrs=[listen_addr])
 
     async with host.run(listen_addrs=[listen_addr]), trio.open_nursery() as nursery:
+        # Start the peer-store cleanup task
+        nursery.start_soon(host.get_peerstore().start_cleanup_task, 60)
+
         if not destination:
             host.set_stream_handler(PING_PROTOCOL_ID, handle_ping)
 
diff --git a/libp2p/abc.py b/libp2p/abc.py
index ecd71528..d3df0a8c 100644
--- a/libp2p/abc.py
+++ b/libp2p/abc.py
@@ -1327,6 +1327,10 @@ class IPeerStore(
     def clear_peerdata(self, peer_id: ID) -> None:
         """clear_peerdata"""
 
+    @abstractmethod
+    async def start_cleanup_task(self, cleanup_interval: int = 3600) -> None:
+        """Start periodic cleanup of expired peer records and addresses."""
+
 
 # -------------------------- listener interface.py --------------------------