diff --git a/modules/status.py b/modules/status.py
index ae9bce7..1022684 100644
--- a/modules/status.py
+++ b/modules/status.py
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 import html
+import time
+import markdown
 
 from modules.common.module import BotModule
 
@@ -11,7 +13,8 @@ class MatrixModule(BotModule):
 
     def __init__(self, name):
         super().__init__(name)
-        self.status = dict()
+        self.status = dict()  # the values are tuples of (status_message, created_at_timestamp)
+        self.ttl = 60 * 60 * 24 * 7  # Time to live in seconds. Defaults to one week. Older messages are purged.
 
     async def matrix_message(self, bot, room, event):
         args = event.body.split()
@@ -24,41 +27,66 @@ async def matrix_message(self, bot, room, event):
             else:
                 await self.send_status(bot=bot, room=room)
         elif args[0] == "clear":
-            self.status.pop(event.sender)
-            bot.save_settings()
-            await bot.send_text(room, f"Cleared status of {event.sender}")
+            if len(args) > 1 and args[1] == "all":
+                bot.must_be_admin(room, event)
+                self.status = dict()
+            else:
+                if(event.sender in self.status.keys()):
+                    self.status.pop(event.sender)
+                bot.save_settings()
+                await bot.send_text(room, f"Cleared status of {event.sender}")
+        elif args[0] == "ttl":
+            if len(args) > 1:
+                bot.must_be_admin(room, event)
+                self.ttl = float(args[1])
+                bot.save_settings()
+            await bot.send_text(room, f"Current status TTL is {self.ttl} seconds = {self.ttl / 60.0 / 60.0 / 24.0} days")
         else:
-            self.status[event.sender] = " ".join(args)
+            self.status[event.sender] = (" ".join(args), time.time())
             bot.save_settings()
             await self.send_status(bot=bot, room=room, user=event.sender)
 
+    def drop_old_messages(self):
+        "Drop all messages which are older than the current TTL."
+        self.logger.debug(f"status messages: {self.status}")
+        dropping = [x for x in self.status.keys() if type(self.status[x]) is not tuple or len(self.status[x]) < 2 or time.time() > self.status[x][1] + self.ttl]
+        for x in dropping:
+            self.logger.debug(f"Dropping old status message {self.status[x]} for user {x}")
+            self.status.pop(x)
+
     async def send_status(self, bot, room, user=None):
+        self.drop_old_messages()
         if user:
             if user in self.status:
-                await bot.send_text(room, f"Status message of {user}: {self.status[user]}")
+                await bot.send_html(room, f"<b>{html.escape(user)}:</b> {markdown.markdown(self.status[user][0])}", f"Status message of {user}: {self.status[user][0]}")
             else:
                 await bot.send_text(room, f"No status known for {user}")
         else:
             await bot.send_html(room, "<b>All status messages:</b><br/><ul><li>" +
-                                "</li><li>".join([f"<b>{html.escape(key)}:</b> {html.escape(value)}" for key, value in self.status.items()]) +
+                                "</li><li>".join([f"<b>{html.escape(key)}:</b> {markdown.markdown(value[0])}" for key, value in self.status.items()]) +
                                 "</li></ul>", f"All status messages:\n{self.status}")
 
     def get_settings(self):
         data = super().get_settings()
         data["user_status_list"] = self.status
+        data["user_status_list_ttl"] = self.ttl
         return data
 
     def set_settings(self, data):
         super().set_settings(data)
         if data.get("user_status_list"):
             self.status = data["user_status_list"]
+        if data.get("user_status_list_ttl"):
+            self.ttl = data["user_status_list_ttl"]
 
     def help(self):
         return """
         Store a status message per user and display them.
         Usage:
         !status clear - clear my status
+        !status clear all - clear all status messages (admin only)
         !status show [user] - show the status of user. If no user is given, show all status messages
+        !status ttl [ttl] Show the current ttl for status messages. If a new ttl is given, set the ttl (must be admin)
         !status help - show this text
         !status [status] - set your status
         """