diff --git a/esphome/writer.py b/esphome/writer.py
index 4aac16ffd4d..06a22301184 100644
--- a/esphome/writer.py
+++ b/esphome/writer.py
@@ -476,6 +476,16 @@ def clean_all(configuration: list[str]):
         data_dirs.append(Path(env_data_dir))
     if env_build_path := os.environ.get("ESPHOME_BUILD_PATH"):
         data_dirs.append(Path(env_build_path))
+    if not data_dirs:
+        # No config files or known data dirs, check current directory
+        cwd_esphome = Path.cwd() / ".esphome"
+        if cwd_esphome.is_dir():
+            data_dirs.append(cwd_esphome)
+        else:
+            _LOGGER.warning(
+                "No configuration files specified and no .esphome directory found in current directory. "
+                "Pass YAML files or a configuration directory to clean build artifacts."
+            )
 
     # Clean build dir
     for dir in data_dirs:
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_writer.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_writer.py
index 6ace38a7d7d..940a394c080 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/test_writer.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_writer.py
@@ -990,6 +990,47 @@ def test_clean_all_ignores_empty_env_vars(
     assert marker.exists()
 
 
+@patch("esphome.writer.CORE")
+def test_clean_all_no_args_with_esphome_dir(
+    mock_core: MagicMock,
+    tmp_path: Path,
+    caplog: pytest.LogCaptureFixture,
+) -> None:
+    """Test clean_all with no args cleans .esphome in cwd."""
+    esphome_dir = tmp_path / ".esphome"
+    esphome_dir.mkdir()
+    (esphome_dir / "dummy.txt").write_text("x")
+
+    from esphome.writer import clean_all
+
+    with (
+        caplog.at_level("INFO"),
+        patch("esphome.writer.Path.cwd", return_value=tmp_path),
+    ):
+        clean_all([])
+
+    assert esphome_dir.exists()
+    assert not (esphome_dir / "dummy.txt").exists()
+
+
+@patch("esphome.writer.CORE")
+def test_clean_all_no_args_no_esphome_dir(
+    mock_core: MagicMock,
+    tmp_path: Path,
+    caplog: pytest.LogCaptureFixture,
+) -> None:
+    """Test clean_all with no args and no .esphome dir warns."""
+    from esphome.writer import clean_all
+
+    with (
+        caplog.at_level("WARNING"),
+        patch("esphome.writer.Path.cwd", return_value=tmp_path),
+    ):
+        clean_all([])
+
+    assert "No configuration files specified" in caplog.text
+
+
 @patch("esphome.writer.CORE")
 def test_clean_all(
     mock_core: MagicMock,