-exclude, -exclude=*DS_Store, and --exclude=*DS_Store

.DS_Store is placed in each folder and volume by Finder. It's where it reads the preference info for the layout (i.e. list/column/cover flow), and order of listing files etc.

It's supposed to be invisible.

Deleting it will mean you have to reset preferences for the folder again next time you open it (which creates a new .DS_Store)

sschwar4 wrote:
I have been cleaning up my MBP over the past few hours

I hope you made a current backup before you started that! It's not unusual for people to ask here for help after they did some ill-advised computer cleaning.

have discovered some files that I don't and can't find any information about. Now, I did find something about the DS_Store being related to TimeMachine, but don't have any excluded files.

In what folder(s) are those files?

sschwar4 wrote:
They are only located in one directory. A subdirectory of Documents. The files were created back in March. There are 3 files, all shown in subject. With the DS_Store, I would think they are Timemachine related.

I can't explain why you have those files. I'd move them to the Trash, then if everything is fine for a few days, empty the Trash.

I hope you're not "cleaning up" files in your Time Machine backups?

If so, you may have hopelessly corrupted them. 😟 Unfortunately, Apple does not do a very good job of warning folks: +*Never move, change, or delete anything in your backups via the Finder or Terminal.+*