Remove files from tracking

I need these three files removed from version control and the repo left in a clean state: build/output.log, .cache/local.db, and tmp/debug.txt. Remove them from tracking but keep the files on disk, commit the change with a clear message, and verify nothing else is unintentionally staged. Sign the commit with my name and use Friday as the commit date if the system supports it.

Before I remove files from tracking, make it easy for reviewers to accept the change. Show the exact diff that will be committed after removal, surface any other files that will be staged by accident, and call out whether removing these tracked files will affect CI or deployment scripts. If any tracked copies are still referenced by build steps, highlight those lines and suggest the minimal code change.

Across several projects we repeatedly add generated files to the repo and later have to remove them. This wastes time on churn and causes accidental commits and large repos. Where is the recurring failure and what single habit or small checklist change would stop this from happening?