Index: src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/clean/CleanMojoTest.java
===================================================================
--- src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/clean/CleanMojoTest.java	(revision 696145)
+++ src/test/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/clean/CleanMojoTest.java	(working copy)
@@ -103,6 +103,32 @@
     }
 
     /**
+     * Tests the removal and preservation of files in includes and excludes global filters.
+     *
+     * @throws Exception
+     */
+    public void testCleanWithGlobalFilters()
+        throws Exception
+    {
+        String pluginPom = getBasedir() + "/src/test/resources/unit/global-filter-test/plugin-pom.xml";
+
+        // safety
+        FileUtils.copyDirectory( new File( getBasedir(), "src/test/resources/unit/global-filter-test" ),
+                                 new File( getBasedir(), "target/test-classes/unit/global-filter-test" ), null, "**/.svn,**/.svn/**" );
+
+        CleanMojo mojo = (CleanMojo) lookupMojo( "clean", pluginPom );
+        assertNotNull( mojo );
+
+        mojo.execute();
+
+        assertTrue( checkExists( getBasedir() + "/target/test-classes/unit/global-filter-test/target" ) );
+        assertTrue( checkExists( getBasedir() + "/target/test-classes/unit/global-filter-test/target/subdir/exclude.txt" ) );
+        assertFalse( checkExists( getBasedir() + "/target/test-classes/unit/global-filter-test/target/subdir/include.txt" ) );
+        assertFalse( checkExists( getBasedir() + "/target/test-classes/unit/global-filter-test/target/test-classes" ) );
+        assertFalse( checkExists( getBasedir() + "/target/test-classes/unit/global-filter-test/target/classes" ) );
+    }
+
+    /**
      * Tests that no exception is thrown when all internal variables are empty and that it doesn't
      * just remove whats there
      *
Index: src/test/resources/unit/global-filter-test/plugin-pom.xml
===================================================================
--- src/test/resources/unit/global-filter-test/plugin-pom.xml	(revision 0)
+++ src/test/resources/unit/global-filter-test/plugin-pom.xml	(revision 0)
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+<!--
+    Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one
+    or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
+    distributed with this work for additional information
+    regarding copyright ownership.  The ASF licenses this file
+    to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+    "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+    with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+    software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+    "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+    KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+    specific language governing permissions and limitations
+    under the License.
+-->
+
+<project>
+  <build>
+    <plugins>
+      <plugin>
+        <artifactId>maven-clean-plugin</artifactId>
+        <configuration>
+          <project implementation="org.apache.maven.plugin.clean.stubs.CleanProjectStub"/>
+          <directory>${basedir}/target/test-classes/unit/global-filter-test/target</directory>
+          <outputDirectory>${basedir}/target/test-classes/unit/global-filter-test/target/classes</outputDirectory>
+          <testOutputDirectory>${basedir}/target/test-classes/unit/global-filter-test/target/test-classes</testOutputDirectory>
+          <includes>**/*.txt,test-classes,classes,subdir</includes>
+          <excludes>**/exclude.*</excludes>
+          <verbose>true</verbose>
+          <failOnError>true</failOnError>
+        </configuration>
+      </plugin>
+    </plugins>
+  </build>
+</project>
Index: src/test/resources/unit/global-filter-test/target/subdir/include.txt
===================================================================
Index: src/test/resources/unit/global-filter-test/target/subdir/exclude.txt
===================================================================
Index: src/test/resources/unit/global-filter-test/target/test-classes/file.txt
===================================================================
Index: src/test/resources/unit/global-filter-test/target/classes/file.txt
===================================================================
Index: src/test/resources/unit/global-filter-test/target/file.txt
===================================================================
Index: src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/clean/CleanMojo.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/clean/CleanMojo.java	(revision 696145)
+++ src/main/java/org/apache/maven/plugin/clean/CleanMojo.java	(working copy)
@@ -101,6 +101,23 @@
     private File reportDirectory;
 
     /**
+     * The comma-delimited includes patterns to use when deleting the default directory locations.
+     *
+     * @parameter expression="${maven.clean.includes}"
+     * @since 2.3
+     */
+    private String includes = "**";
+
+
+    /**
+     * The comma-delimited excludes patterns to use when deleting the default directory locations.
+     *
+     * @parameter expression="${maven.clean.excludes}"
+     * @since 2.3
+     */
+    private String excludes;
+
+    /**
      * Sets whether the plugin runs in verbose mode. As of plugin version 2.3, the default value is derived from Maven's
      * global debug flag (compare command line switch <code>-X</code>).
      * 
@@ -242,13 +259,33 @@
         {
             FileSet fs = new Fileset();
             fs.setDirectory( dir.getPath() );
-            fs.addInclude( "**" );
+
+            addIncludesToFileSet(fs);
+            addExcludesToFileSet(fs);
+
             fs.setFollowSymlinks( followSymLinks );
 
             removeFileSet( fs );
         }
     }
 
+    private void addIncludesToFileSet(FileSet fs) {
+        final String[] include = includes.split(",");
+        for (int i = 0; i < include.length; i++) {
+            fs.addInclude( include[i] );
+        }
+    }
+    
+    private void addExcludesToFileSet(FileSet fs) {
+        if (excludes == null) {
+            return;
+        }
+        final String[] exclude = excludes.split(",");
+        for (int i = 0; i < exclude.length; i++) {
+            fs.addExclude( exclude[i] );
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Deletes the specified file set. If the base directory of the file set is relative, it will be resolved against
      * the base directory of the current project.