check on timer

I need periodically cleanup my table. For this purpose I written small module:

-module(mod_timer).

-export([start/2,
    stop/1, loop/1]).

-define(PROCNAME, mod_timer_loop).

start(_Host, _Opts) -> 
    case whereis(?PROCNAME) of
        undefined ->
            register(?PROCNAME, spawn(?MODULE, loop, [])),
            ?PROCNAME ! check;
        _ ->
            ok
    end.

loop() ->
    receive
        check ->
            timer:sleep(30000),

            ... here check something, e.g. clear db ...
                        
            ?PROCNAME ! check,
            loop();            
        stop ->
            finished
    end.

stop(_Host) ->
    ?PROCNAME ! stop. 

It work, but(!) I don’t like loop() call in loop(). (I mean recursive call).
But in many modules I saw such mechansm.

Tell me how bad is it really?
Or how it can be done properly?

Thanks.