diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2e7af4a69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+*~
+*.o
+*.so
+*.os
+*.pyc
+*.obj
+*.exe.manifest
+build
+.sconsign.dblite
+.sconf_temp
+cantera.conf
+config.log
diff --git a/Cantera/python/.gitignore b/Cantera/python/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9364554be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Cantera/python/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+setup.py
+*.os
+*.pyd
diff --git a/ext/f2c_libs/.gitignore b/ext/f2c_libs/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..be02f378b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ext/f2c_libs/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+arith.h
+signal1.h
+sysdep1.h