diff --git a/docs/00-meta/SUBMODULE_HYGIENE.md b/docs/00-meta/SUBMODULE_HYGIENE.md
index 57c52d6..7b8d338 100644
--- a/docs/00-meta/SUBMODULE_HYGIENE.md
+++ b/docs/00-meta/SUBMODULE_HYGIENE.md
@@ -29,6 +29,13 @@ bash scripts/verify/submodules-clean.sh
 
 Stricter than `git status -sb` (fails on any porcelain output). Use after large merges or before release tagging.
 
+### Surgical artifact cleanup (generated files only)
+
+Some submodules historically tracked **build output** (TypeScript `.js` next to `.ts` under `packages/*/src`, or Foundry `artifacts/`). That noise is removed with **gitignore + `git rm --cached`**, not by discarding real source edits.
+
+- Repeatable helper (idempotent): `bash scripts/maintenance/surgical-clean-submodule-artifacts.sh [--dry-run]`
+- After it reports changes, **commit inside the submodule**, then bump the **parent** submodule pointer.
+
 ---
 
 ## explorer-monorepo: Gitea primary, GitHub optional mirror
diff --git a/scripts/maintenance/surgical-clean-submodule-artifacts.sh b/scripts/maintenance/surgical-clean-submodule-artifacts.sh
index 3c0eced..dc32404 100755
--- a/scripts/maintenance/surgical-clean-submodule-artifacts.sh
+++ b/scripts/maintenance/surgical-clean-submodule-artifacts.sh
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ clean_the_order() {
     return 0
   fi
   # Rules are committed in submodule; re-apply only if file missing patterns
-  if ! grep -q 'packages/\*\*/src/\*\*/\*\.js$' "$sub/.gitignore" 2>/dev/null; then
+  if ! grep -q 'packages/\*\*/src/\*\*' "$sub/.gitignore" 2>/dev/null; then
     log "  WARN: the-order/.gitignore missing expected emit rules — merge from main or run prior hygiene commit"
   fi
   local cnt