diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 7d60353..18fc7ee 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -91,4 +91,6 @@ certs
 tmp/
 
 # large video assets — host externally (S3)
-frontend/public/portfolio/*.mp4
\ No newline at end of file
+frontend/public/portfolio/*.mp4
+
+backups/
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backups/backup-20251117-224608.sql b/backups/backup-20251117-224608.sql
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000
diff --git a/backups/backup-20251224-021048.sql b/backups/backup-20251224-021048.sql
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000
diff --git a/backups/backup-20251224-144159.sql b/backups/backup-20251224-144159.sql
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000
diff --git a/backups/backup-20260124-224819.sql b/backups/backup-20260124-224819.sql
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000
diff --git a/backups/backup-20260126-155148.sql b/backups/backup-20260126-155148.sql
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000
diff --git a/backups/backup-20260127-192753.sql b/backups/backup-20260127-192753.sql
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000