diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/5867-apt_rpm-add-clean-and-upgrade.yml b/changelogs/fragments/5867-apt_rpm-add-clean-and-upgrade.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bd2802bb033
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/5867-apt_rpm-add-clean-and-upgrade.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+minor_changes:
+  - apt_rpm - adds ``clean``, ``dist_upgrade`` and ``update_kernel``  parameters for clear caches, complete upgrade system and upgrade kernel packages (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.general/pull/5867).
diff --git a/plugins/modules/apt_rpm.py b/plugins/modules/apt_rpm.py
index d949a61e68d..cad4d241c54 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/apt_rpm.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/apt_rpm.py
@@ -20,8 +20,7 @@
 options:
   package:
     description:
-      - list of packages to install, upgrade or remove.
-    required: true
+      - List of packages to install, upgrade, or remove.
     aliases: [ name, pkg ]
     type: list
     elements: str
@@ -33,9 +32,30 @@
     type: str
   update_cache:
     description:
-      - update the package database first C(apt-get update).
+      - Run the equivalent of C(apt-get update) before the operation. Can be run as part of the package installation or as a separate step.
+      - Default is not to update the cache.
     type: bool
     default: false
+  clean:
+    description:
+      - Run the equivalent of C(apt-get clean) to clear out the local repository of retrieved package files. It removes everything but
+        the lock file from C(/var/cache/apt/archives/) and C(/var/cache/apt/archives/partial/).
+      - Can be run as part of the package installation (clean runs before install) or as a separate step.
+    type: bool
+    default: false
+    version_added: 6.3.0
+  dist_upgrade:
+    description:
+      - If true performs an C(apt-get dist-upgrade) to upgrade system.
+    type: bool
+    default: false
+    version_added: 6.3.0
+  update_kernel:
+    description:
+      - If true performs an C(update-kernel) to upgrade kernel packages.
+    type: bool
+    default: false
+    version_added: 6.3.0
 author:
 - Evgenii Terechkov (@evgkrsk)
 '''
@@ -69,6 +89,16 @@
     name: bar
     state: present
     update_cache: true
+
+- name: Run the equivalent of "apt-get clean" as a separate step
+  community.general.apt_rpm:
+    clean: true
+
+- name: Perform cache update and complete system upgrade (includes kernel)
+  community.general.apt_rpm:
+    update_cache: true
+    dist_upgrade: true
+    update_kernel: true
 '''
 
 import os
@@ -77,6 +107,8 @@
 
 APT_PATH = "/usr/bin/apt-get"
 RPM_PATH = "/usr/bin/rpm"
+APT_GET_ZERO = "\n0 upgraded, 0 newly installed"
+UPDATE_KERNEL_ZERO = "\nTry to install new kernel "
 
 
 def query_package(module, name):
@@ -97,10 +129,33 @@ def query_package_provides(module, name):
 
 
 def update_package_db(module):
-    rc, out, err = module.run_command("%s update" % APT_PATH)
+    rc, out, err = module.run_command(["md5sum", "/var/cache/apt/pkgcache.bin"])
+    md5sum_before = out.split()[0]
+    rc, update_out, err = module.run_command([APT_PATH, "update"], check_rc=True, environ_update={"LANG": "C"})
+    rc, out, err = module.run_command(["md5sum", "/var/cache/apt/pkgcache.bin"])
+    md5sum_after = out.split()[0]
+    return (md5sum_before != md5sum_after, update_out)
+
+
+def dir_size(module, path):
+    rc, out, err = module.run_command(["du", "-sb", path], check_rc=True)
+    return out.split()[0]
+
+
+def clean(module):
+    t = dir_size(module, "/var/cache/apt/archives")
+    rc, out, err = module.run_command([APT_PATH, "clean"], check_rc=True)
+    return (t != dir_size(module, "/var/cache/apt/archives"), out)
+
+
+def dist_upgrade(module):
+    rc, out, err = module.run_command([APT_PATH, "-y", "dist-upgrade"], check_rc=True, environ_update={"LANG": "C"})
+    return (APT_GET_ZERO not in out, out)
 
-    if rc != 0:
-        module.fail_json(msg="could not update package db: %s" % err)
+
+def update_kernel(module):
+    rc, out, err = module.run_command(["/usr/sbin/update-kernel", "-y"], check_rc=True, environ_update={"LANG": "C"})
+    return (UPDATE_KERNEL_ZERO not in out, out)
 
 
 def remove_packages(module, packages):
@@ -155,7 +210,10 @@ def main():
         argument_spec=dict(
             state=dict(type='str', default='present', choices=['absent', 'installed', 'present', 'removed']),
             update_cache=dict(type='bool', default=False),
-            package=dict(type='list', elements='str', required=True, aliases=['name', 'pkg']),
+            clean=dict(type='bool', default=False),
+            dist_upgrade=dict(type='bool', default=False),
+            update_kernel=dict(type='bool', default=False),
+            package=dict(type='list', elements='str', aliases=['name', 'pkg']),
         ),
     )
 
@@ -163,17 +221,40 @@ def main():
         module.fail_json(msg="cannot find /usr/bin/apt-get and/or /usr/bin/rpm")
 
     p = module.params
+    modified = False
+    output = ""
 
     if p['update_cache']:
-        update_package_db(module)
+        (m, out) = update_package_db(module)
+        modified = modified or m
+        output += out
+
+    if p['clean']:
+        (m, out) = clean(module)
+        modified = modified or m
+
+    if p['dist_upgrade']:
+        (m, out) = dist_upgrade(module)
+        modified = modified or m
+        output += out
 
+    if p['update_kernel']:
+        (m, out) = update_kernel(module)
+        modified = modified or m
+        output += out
+
+    # If package is missing return exit_json
     packages = p['package']
 
-    if p['state'] in ['installed', 'present']:
-        install_packages(module, packages)
+    if not isinstance(packages, list):
+        module.exit_json(changed=modified, msg=output)
+
+    else:
+        if p['state'] in ['installed', 'present']:
+            install_packages(module, packages)
 
-    elif p['state'] in ['absent', 'removed']:
-        remove_packages(module, packages)
+        elif p['state'] in ['absent', 'removed']:
+            remove_packages(module, packages)
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':