diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Examine/ExamineUmbracoIndexingHandler.cs b/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Examine/ExamineUmbracoIndexingHandler.cs
index d19db3b285..5afe010b82 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Examine/ExamineUmbracoIndexingHandler.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Examine/ExamineUmbracoIndexingHandler.cs
@@ -118,6 +118,20 @@ namespace Umbraco.Cms.Infrastructure.Examine
             }
         }
 
+        /// <inheritdoc />
+        public void DeleteIndexForEntities(IReadOnlyCollection<int> entityIds, bool keepIfUnpublished)
+        {
+            var actions = DeferedActions.Get(_scopeProvider);
+            if (actions != null)
+            {
+                actions.Add(new DeferedDeleteIndex(this, entityIds, keepIfUnpublished));
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                DeferedDeleteIndex.Execute(this, entityIds, keepIfUnpublished);
+            }
+        }
+
         /// <inheritdoc />
         public void ReIndexForContent(IContent sender, bool isPublished)
         {
@@ -371,6 +385,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Cms.Infrastructure.Examine
         {
             private readonly ExamineUmbracoIndexingHandler _examineUmbracoIndexingHandler;
             private readonly int _id;
+            private readonly IReadOnlyCollection<int> _ids;
             private readonly bool _keepIfUnpublished;
 
             public DeferedDeleteIndex(ExamineUmbracoIndexingHandler examineUmbracoIndexingHandler, int id, bool keepIfUnpublished)
@@ -380,16 +395,42 @@ namespace Umbraco.Cms.Infrastructure.Examine
                 _keepIfUnpublished = keepIfUnpublished;
             }
 
-            public override void Execute() => Execute(_examineUmbracoIndexingHandler, _id, _keepIfUnpublished);
+            public DeferedDeleteIndex(ExamineUmbracoIndexingHandler examineUmbracoIndexingHandler, IReadOnlyCollection<int> ids, bool keepIfUnpublished)
+            {
+                _examineUmbracoIndexingHandler = examineUmbracoIndexingHandler;
+                _ids = ids;
+                _keepIfUnpublished = keepIfUnpublished;
+            }
+
+            public override void Execute()
+            {
+                if (_ids is null)
+                {
+                    Execute(_examineUmbracoIndexingHandler, _id, _keepIfUnpublished);
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    Execute(_examineUmbracoIndexingHandler, _ids, _keepIfUnpublished);
+                } 
+            }
 
             public static void Execute(ExamineUmbracoIndexingHandler examineUmbracoIndexingHandler, int id, bool keepIfUnpublished)
             {
-                var strId = id.ToString(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture);
                 foreach (var index in examineUmbracoIndexingHandler._examineManager.Indexes.OfType<IUmbracoIndex>()
                     .Where(x => x.PublishedValuesOnly || !keepIfUnpublished)
                     .Where(x => x.EnableDefaultEventHandler))
                 {
-                    index.DeleteFromIndex(strId);
+                    index.DeleteFromIndex(id.ToString(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture));
+                }
+            }
+
+            public static void Execute(ExamineUmbracoIndexingHandler examineUmbracoIndexingHandler, IReadOnlyCollection<int> ids, bool keepIfUnpublished)
+            {
+                foreach (var index in examineUmbracoIndexingHandler._examineManager.Indexes.OfType<IUmbracoIndex>()
+                    .Where(x => x.PublishedValuesOnly || !keepIfUnpublished)
+                    .Where(x => x.EnableDefaultEventHandler))
+                {
+                    index.DeleteFromIndex(ids.Select(x => x.ToString(CultureInfo.InvariantCulture)));
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Search/IUmbracoIndexingHandler.cs b/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Search/IUmbracoIndexingHandler.cs
index 24c82c055d..7fe37d7152 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Search/IUmbracoIndexingHandler.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Search/IUmbracoIndexingHandler.cs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ namespace Umbraco.Cms.Infrastructure.Search
         void DeleteDocumentsForContentTypes(IReadOnlyCollection<int> removedContentTypes);
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Remove items from an index
+        /// Remove an item from an index
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="entityId"></param>
         /// <param name="keepIfUnpublished">
@@ -33,5 +33,15 @@ namespace Umbraco.Cms.Infrastructure.Search
         /// If false it will delete this from all indexes regardless.
         /// </param>
         void DeleteIndexForEntity(int entityId, bool keepIfUnpublished);
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Remove items from an index
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="entityIds"></param>
+        /// <param name="keepIfUnpublished">
+        /// If true, indicates that we will only delete this item from indexes that don't support unpublished content.
+        /// If false it will delete this from all indexes regardless.
+        /// </param>
+        void DeleteIndexForEntities(IReadOnlyCollection<int> entityIds, bool keepIfUnpublished);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Search/IndexingNotificationHandler.Content.cs b/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Search/IndexingNotificationHandler.Content.cs
index ebebdb7f34..c80e61af0e 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Search/IndexingNotificationHandler.Content.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Search/IndexingNotificationHandler.Content.cs
@@ -44,13 +44,21 @@ namespace Umbraco.Cms.Infrastructure.Search
                 throw new NotSupportedException();
             }
 
+            // Used to track permanent deletions so we can bulk delete from the index
+            // when needed. For example, when emptying the recycle bin, else it will
+            // individually update the index which will be much slower.
+            HashSet<int> deleteBatch = null;
+
             foreach (var payload in (ContentCacheRefresher.JsonPayload[])args.MessageObject)
             {
                 if (payload.ChangeTypes.HasType(TreeChangeTypes.Remove))
                 {
-                    // delete content entirely (with descendants)
-                    //  false: remove entirely from all indexes
-                    _umbracoIndexingHandler.DeleteIndexForEntity(payload.Id, false);
+                    if (deleteBatch == null)
+                    {
+                        deleteBatch = new HashSet<int>();
+                    }
+
+                    deleteBatch.Add(payload.Id);
                 }
                 else if (payload.ChangeTypes.HasType(TreeChangeTypes.RefreshAll))
                 {
@@ -62,6 +70,15 @@ namespace Umbraco.Cms.Infrastructure.Search
                 }
                 else // RefreshNode or RefreshBranch (maybe trashed)
                 {
+                    if (deleteBatch != null && deleteBatch.Contains(payload.Id))
+                    {
+                        // the same node has already been deleted, to ensure ordering is
+                        // handled, we'll need to execute all queued deleted items now
+                        // and reset the deleted items list.
+                        _umbracoIndexingHandler.DeleteIndexForEntities(deleteBatch, false);
+                        deleteBatch = null;
+                    }
+
                     // don't try to be too clever - refresh entirely
                     // there has to be race conditions in there ;-(
 
@@ -132,6 +149,12 @@ namespace Umbraco.Cms.Infrastructure.Search
                 //
                 // BUT ... pretty sure it is! see test "Index_Delete_Index_Item_Ensure_Heirarchy_Removed"
             }
+
+            if (deleteBatch != null)
+            {
+                // process the delete batch
+                _umbracoIndexingHandler.DeleteIndexForEntities(deleteBatch, false);
+            }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Search/IndexingNotificationHandler.Media.cs b/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Search/IndexingNotificationHandler.Media.cs
index 8b37d047de..4ac1d1ca09 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Search/IndexingNotificationHandler.Media.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Infrastructure/Search/IndexingNotificationHandler.Media.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 using System;
+using System.Collections.Generic;
 using Umbraco.Cms.Core.Cache;
 using Umbraco.Cms.Core.Events;
 using Umbraco.Cms.Core.Notifications;
@@ -37,12 +38,21 @@ namespace Umbraco.Cms.Infrastructure.Search
                 throw new NotSupportedException();
             }
 
+            // Used to track permanent deletions so we can bulk delete from the index
+            // when needed. For example, when emptying the recycle bin, else it will
+            // individually update the index which will be much slower.
+            HashSet<int> deleteBatch = null;
+
             foreach (var payload in (MediaCacheRefresher.JsonPayload[])args.MessageObject)
             {
                 if (payload.ChangeTypes.HasType(TreeChangeTypes.Remove))
                 {
-                    // remove from *all* indexes
-                    _umbracoIndexingHandler.DeleteIndexForEntity(payload.Id, false);
+                    if (deleteBatch == null)
+                    {
+                        deleteBatch = new HashSet<int>();
+                    }
+
+                    deleteBatch.Add(payload.Id);
                 }
                 else if (payload.ChangeTypes.HasType(TreeChangeTypes.RefreshAll))
                 {
@@ -52,6 +62,15 @@ namespace Umbraco.Cms.Infrastructure.Search
                 }
                 else // RefreshNode or RefreshBranch (maybe trashed)
                 {
+                    if (deleteBatch != null && deleteBatch.Contains(payload.Id))
+                    {
+                        // the same node has already been deleted, to ensure ordering is
+                        // handled, we'll need to execute all queued deleted items now
+                        // and reset the deleted items list.
+                        _umbracoIndexingHandler.DeleteIndexForEntities(deleteBatch, false);
+                        deleteBatch = null;
+                    }
+
                     var media = _mediaService.GetById(payload.Id);
                     if (media == null)
                     {
@@ -83,7 +102,13 @@ namespace Umbraco.Cms.Infrastructure.Search
                             }
                         }
                     }
-                }
+                }                
+            }
+
+            if (deleteBatch != null)
+            {
+                // process the delete batch
+                _umbracoIndexingHandler.DeleteIndexForEntities(deleteBatch, false);
             }
         }
     }