The setting is the cavernous loft of Uncle Dirty, where he lives with the seven pollutants: Dusty, Greasy, Oily, Smoky, Sooty, Sticky, and Stinky, all children ranging in age from six upward. Their parents have grown tired of their dirty habits and Uncle Dirty has agreed to take them in until they can learn how to behave. As their guardian, Uncle Dirty, himself a happy slob, tolerates all their bad behavior and the children thrive in this new environment until he meets his true love and plans to get married.
| UNCLE DIRTY | Guardian (True name is Uncle Paul) |
| ANGEL | Uncle's True Love |
| DUSTY | Pollutant One (True name is Danny) |
| GREASY | Pollutant Two (True name is Gary) |
| OILY | Pollutant Three (True name is Ollie) |
| SMOKY | Pollutant Four (True name is Sammy) |
| SOOTY | Pollutant Five (True name is Scotty) |
| STICKY | Pollutant Six (True name is Stevie) |
| STINKY | Pollutant Seven (True name is Skippy) |