diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e72f960a..0b67dd66 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,8 +1,27 @@
+## To see if new rules exclude any existing files, run
+##
+##   git ls-files -i --exclude-standard
+##
+## after modifying this file.
+
+## Generated by the build process
 *.xpi
 */locale/*/*.html
 */chrome
+
+## Editor backup and swap files
 *~
-.*.swp
-.*.swo
-.swp
+.\#*
+\#**\#
+.*.sw[op]
+.sw[op]
+
+## Generated by Mac filesystem
 .DS_Store
+
+## For rejects
+*.orig
+*.rej
+
+## Generated by StGit
+patches-*
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2aad9d4b..2d0618d6 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 
 DIRS = vimperator muttator
 TARGETS = clean distclean doc help info jar release xpi
-.PHONY = tildetidy
 .SILENT:
 
 $(TARGETS:%=\%.%):
@@ -9,7 +8,3 @@ $(TARGETS:%=\%.%):
 	$(MAKE) -C $* $(@:$*.%=%)
 
 $(TARGETS): %: $(DIRS:%=%.%)
-
-tildetidy:
-		@echo "Removing vim backup files..."
-		find . -name '*~' -exec rm -fv {} \;
diff --git a/common/Makefile.common b/common/Makefile.common
index f3fbc038..38606885 100644
--- a/common/Makefile.common
+++ b/common/Makefile.common
@@ -78,7 +78,6 @@ ${RDF}: ${RDF_IN} Makefile
 clean:
 	@echo "Cleanup..."
 	rm -f ${JAR} ${XPI}
-	find . -name '*~' -exec rm -f {} \;
 
 distclean: clean
 	@echo "More cleanup..."
diff --git a/common/Makefile.doc b/common/Makefile.doc
index 6777d234..59898e8a 100644
--- a/common/Makefile.doc
+++ b/common/Makefile.doc
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ help:
 
 clean:
 	@echo "Cleanup..."
-	find . -name '*~' -exec rm -f {} \;
 
 distclean: clean
 	@echo "More cleanup..."