What Household Items Can I Use To Clean My Guitar?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,

Household furniture polish and all-purpose cleaners—such as Pine Sol, Windex, and 409—will also damage your finish. The only household product that's safe to use to clean your guitar is

white distilled vinegar

.

Can you use alcohol wipes to clean guitar?

We don't recommend it. Rubbing alcohol may dry out the wood of the fingerboard, and may damage certain plastic materials on the guitar, and in some cases, even damage the guitar's finish. We've found that it can even make your strings squeak more! Your best bet is to use

a tried-and-tested string cleaner and lubricant

.

Can I use wipes to clean my guitar?

If they are water-based (not alcohol), they would probably be okay and not damage the finish. You can do just as well with a

lightly damp soft

cloth, though.

How do you polish a guitar body?

Polish the guitar body – For Poly-finished (gloss) guitars,

spray guitar polish onto a soft cloth and wipe down

. Use a dry part to buff out the polish. For Matte/Satin/Nitro-finished guitars, use only a dry cloth.

What can I use instead of guitar polish?

The finish on guitars is usually lacquer, shellac, or some sort of synthetic—exactly the same finishes as on furniture. So, again, just use

furniture polish

.

Can I use lemon oil on guitar body?

Instead, they're just mineral oil or

some other other fretboard-safe oils

, with lemon scent and yellow coloring added. For this reason, most of the guitar lemon oils on the market are 100% safe when used in moderation on your guitar's rosewood or ebony fretboard (don't use lemon oil on maple–more on that below).

Can I use pledge on my guitar?

I've used pledge and similar furniture polishes on guitars for over 30 years with

no problems

. Same with using baby oil on rosewood fretboards, not a problem.

Can you use hand sanitizer to clean guitar strings?

Here is a quick way to clean your guitar strings that won't be too costly or too long to complete: … The

hand sanitizer will kill off the bacteria that's on your fingers and palms

, but it will also remove the harmful oils on your hands that can damage your strings.

Can I use water to clean my guitar?

a guitar requires only a few materials. A soft cloth, like an old t-shirt or a sock, will do the job well, along with some

water, glass cleaner

, and a guitar polish that contains pure carnauba wax. An electric guitar can be cleaned in the same way as an acoustic.

Can you use rubbing alcohol to clean guitar neck?


Don't use rubbing alcohol

Rubbing alcohol, if it gets on the guitar's neck, can end up sucking out some of the moisture from the guitar's wood. … If you're trying to get the grime off of the strings, you can use cleaners made specifically for guitar strings.

Can I clean my guitar with soap and water?


Yes

, a drop or two of dish soap in a small bowl of water is excellent for getting the dirt off, then go over again with warm water with no soap.

Can you use baby wipes to clean guitar strings?

Can I use baby wipes to clean my guitar?

As long as the liquid you use to wipe and clean the guitar is not a VOC

(volatile organic compound) it would not dissolve the finish and ruin it.

Can I clean guitar strings with baby wipes?

Thankfully, Ernie Ball came to the rescue with

Wonder Wipes

– a line of guitar cleaning products that are applied as easily as taking a pre-moistened baby wipe from the dispenser and applying it to your infant's bottom. … We found that it was quite easy to clean two guitar bodies with a single wipe, too!

Can I use olive oil on my fretboard?

You

must NOT

use coconut oil, olive oil, lemon oil or vinegar on your guitar either the strings, fretboard or any other part. all of these products can cause unrecoverable damage to the wood of your guitar because they are acidic.

What household items can you use to clean a fretboard?

The quick answer is that the best way to clean a guitar fretboard with household items is to just use things like

Q-tips or cotton swabs to remove the dirt

that is specifically located to the side of the fret and use cotton balls (or even face-cleaning pads) for the middle part in between frets.

Can you polish a guitar with car wax?

Car wax can certainly be applied an acoustic

guitar

because automotive wax works wonders with satin finishes, even high-end guitar manufacturer ‘Taylor' guitars even recommend using car wax to polish their products. … Also, do not apply the wax to the fretboard or neck only the main body.

Can you use wood cleaner on a guitar?


Do not use anything other

than what we just told you about to clean finished wood surfaces. Do not use glass cleaner (or anything with ammonia in it) or products containing abrasives or silicon (as some paste cleaners do). Play it safe by sticking to cleaners and polishes made specifically for guitars.

Can I use baby oil on my fretboard?


Yes

, you could do, but a thinner oil like mineral oil would be more suitable , just dont use vegetable oils ,they will turn rancid and wont smell very nice, most fretboard oils are based on mineral oil,even lemon oil.

Can you use furniture oil on a guitar?

No,

do not use furniture polish anywhere near your guitar

. It will dry out any exposed wood and it can perminantly stain some kinds of finish while doing nothing for others.

What kind of oil can I use on my guitar?

“There are any number of light, natural oils that you could use:

olive oil, peanut oil, canola or walnut oil

… A small amount is applied with a soft cloth, allowed to sit for a few minutes and then all excess is rubbed off.

What can I use instead of lemon oil on my guitar?

  • Liberon BLO500 is a good one, as is Rustin's Boiled Linseed Oil.
  • Fret Doctor Fretboard Conditioner is another solid choice.
  • Gerlitz Guitar Honey Fretboard Conditioner is a light mineral oil suitable for any Fender or Gibson guitar.

Can I use Armor All on my guitar?


DO NOT use Armor All

. Armor All products are harsh and work by eating away a bit of the material that it is supposed to protect.

How do you clean guitar strings at home?


Microfiber cloths

are ideal to clean guitar strings since they do not leave a residue or lint material. In addition to wiping the instrument down, wash your hands regularly to remove excess oil and residue (or grease, sauce, etc.). Keep a small towel around to dry sweaty hands mid-show.

Can you use lemon Pledge on a guitar fretboard?

Pledge or Wood Polish Spray:

Lemon oil is a great thing to use on fretboards

, especially to return a dark sheen to the wood if it's dried out. But the aerosolized wood polishes like Pledge usually contain solvents that can be harmful to the guitar's finish.

Can I use Clorox wipes on my guitar?

If you have a standard gloss finish instrument then

alcohol, purell, and clorox wipes are all safe to use on your guitar body

. You can apply a small amount to a cloth and wipe down the wood gently to disinfect the instrument. … Nitro finish guitars are much rarer these days, and they are often found on vintage guitars.

Should I boil my guitar strings?

While boiling your guitar strings will make your

old

, flat sounding strings sound much better, they will not make them sound as new. … Moreover, boiling new guitar strings before you string them on your guitar will help with the stretching process as well as allow better tone and tension.

Can guitar strings get wet?

There's a high chance that

your guitar won't sound nearly as good as it sounded before it got wet

. … Your guitar strings will almost certainly corrode and rust after you've done playing your guitar in the rain.

David Martineau
Author
David Martineau
David is an interior designer and home improvement expert. With a degree in architecture, David has worked on various renovation projects and has written for several home and garden publications. David's expertise in decorating, renovation, and repair will help you create your dream home.