How to Clean a Guitar Body? – A Complete Guide – Zager Guitars

Cleaning your guitar is an essential part of its maintenance. Over time, dirt, dust, sweat, and oils from your fingers can accumulate on the surface of your guitar, affecting the guitar’s finish and sound. Fortunately, cleaning your guitar is a straightforward process that can be done quickly at home. 

In this article, we’ll guide you through the steps to clean your guitar’s body effectively and keep it in excellent condition. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned player, these tips will help keep your guitar looking and sounding its best.

How To Clean a Guitar: Step-by-Step

Cleaning your guitar is essential to its maintenance, as it helps keep it in good condition and sound quality. The problem with this is that most guitar players want to have their guitars on display. It looks great and is a nice decoration. 

It’s also part of self-expression; if someone enters the house, they can immediately see you’re a virtuoso. Guitarists also tend to play their instrument more if it’s out on display. 

Here is a simple step-by-step process for cleaning your guitar:

Step 1: Gather Your Cleaning Materials.

Before you begin cleaning your guitar, gather all the necessary cleaning materials. You will need a soft, lint-free cloth, a guitar cleaner (if required), a guitar polish (if desired), and a small brush to clean hard-to-reach areas.

Step 2: Have The Strings Removed.

To clean your guitar thoroughly, it’s best to remove the strings to avoid getting any cleaning products on them. Loosen each line and gently lift them off the guitar case’s headboard. Be sure to keep the lines to re-string your guitar correctly.

Step 3: Clean The Fretboard.

The fretboard is an essential part of your guitar, and it can collect dirt, oil, and grime over a few minutes of time. To clean the fretboard, apply a small amount of guitar cleaner to the cloth and gently rub it onto the fretboard. Use a small brush to clean the areas between the frets, and be sure to remove any excess cleaner.

You can also take a minimally abrasive steel wool and lightly rub it along the fingerboard and the fret wire. This will help shine up the frets maple fingerboard and clean off any excess gunk the cloth didn’t take care of. Remember, this is the part your fingers touch the whole time you play, and grime can build up even if your hands are always clean or washed.

Step 4: Clean The Guitar Body.

Using the same slightly damp cloth, gently wipe the guitar’s body to remove dirt or dust. If your guitar has a gloss finish, you can use a guitar polish to restore its shine. Apply a small amount of polish to the cloth and rub it onto the guitar body, following the grain of the wood. Then to give it a lovely sheen, use lemon oil or the fretboard finishing oil or wipe it down with a Miracle Polishing Cloth. Be sure to remove any excess polish with a clean, dry cloth.

Step 5: Clean The Hardware.

The hardware on your guitar, such as the tuning pegs and bridge, can also collect dirt and grime over time. To clean the hardware, use a small brush to remove dirt or dust. If necessary, you can use a guitar cleaner to clean the hardware, but be sure to remove any excess cleaner.

Step 6: Re-String The Guitar.

Once your guitar is clean and dry, re-string it and tune it to your preferred pitch, be sure to follow the correct order of the strings and tune each string carefully to avoid damaging your guitar.

Cleaning your guitar regularly is essential to maintain its sound quality and appearance. Following these steps, you can clean your guitar effectively and keep it in good condition for years.

How to Clean A Guitar Body Using A Cloth

Cleaning the body of your guitar with a cloth is a simple and effective way to remove dirt, dust, and sweat from its surface. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Choose A Soft, Lint-Free, Clean Cloth:

You can use a microfiber cloth or an old clean t-shirt free from lint. Avoid using rough or abrasive materials that could scratch your guitar’s finish.

2. Remove The Strings:

Before cleaning your guitar body, removing the strings is best to avoid getting any cleaning products on them. Loosen each line and gently lift them off the guitar’s tuning pegs.

3. Wipe The Guitar Body:

Gently wipe the guitar’s body with a damp cloth to remove dirt or dust. Start at the guitar’s top and work your way down, particularly the areas around the pickups and the bridge.

4. Use A Guitar Cleaner:

If your guitar is particularly dirty or has stubborn grime, you may want to use a cleaner specifically designed for the guitar’s finish. Apply a small amount of cleanser to the cloth and wipe it onto the guitar’s body, following the grain of the wood. Read the instructions carefully and test the cleaner on a small, inconspicuous area first to ensure it won’t damage the finish.

5. Wipe Off Excess Cleaner:

After applying the cleaner, use a clean section of the cloth to wipe off any excess. Remove all the cleaners to avoid leaving residue on the guitar body.

6. Re-String The Guitar:

Once the guitar body is clean and dry, re-string it and tune it to your preferred pitch.

How To Prepare Your Guitar For Cleaning

Preparing your guitar before cleaning is an essential step to ensure that you do not cause any damage to the instrument. Here are the steps to follow to prepare your guitar for cleaning:

1. Gather Your Cleaning Supplies:

Gather all the necessary cleaning supplies before cleaning your guitar. You will need a soft, lint-free cloth, guitar cleaner (if required), guitar polish (if desired), and a small brush to clean hard-to-reach areas.

2. Find A Clean Workspace:

Choose a clean and spacious area to clean your guitar. Ensure the surface is flat and free from dust and debris that could scratch or damage your guitar.

3. Remove The Strings:

To avoid getting any cleaning products on the strings, removing them before cleaning your guitar is best. Loosen each string and gently lift them off the guitar’s tuning pegs. Be sure to keep the strings to re-string your guitar correctly.

4. Protect The Hardware:

Cover the guitar’s hardware, such as the tuning pegs, pickups, and bridge, with a cloth to protect them from any cleaning products.

5. Dust The Guitar:

Use a soft cloth to dust the guitar gently, paying special attention to the headstock, neck, and body. This step will remove any loose dust and dirt, making cleaning easier.

6. Inspect The Guitar:

Inspect your guitar for any cracks, chips, or other damage. If you notice any damage, consult a professional guitar repair technician before cleaning the guitar.

Following these steps, you can prepare your guitar for cleaning and ensure you clean it safely and effectively. Cleaning your guitar regularly is essential to maintain its sound quality and appearance, so take good care of your instrument.

Wash Your Hands Before You Play Guitar

Washing your hands before you play guitar is essential because it can help keep your guitar clean and prevent damage to the instrument. Here are a few reasons why washing your hands before playing guitar is essential:

1. Dirt And Oil Can Damage Your Guitar:

Your hands naturally produce oils that can transfer to your guitar’s strings, fretboard, and body. Over time, these oils can accumulate and cause damage to the guitar’s finish and hardware. Additionally, dirt and grime on your hands can scratch the guitar’s surface and harm the strings.

2. Clean Hands Can Help Maintain The Guitar’s Sound Quality:

When you play guitar, your fingers come into direct contact with the strings, and any dirt or oils on your hands can affect the guitar’s sound quality. Clean hands will help produce a more transparent, more defined sound.

3. Good Hygiene Is Essential:

Washing your hands before you play guitar is good practice for maintaining personal hygiene. It helps prevent the spread of germs, especially during the flu and cold season.

How To Clean Acoustic Guitars

Maintaining a clean acoustic guitar should be integral to your overall guitar maintenance regimen. This regimen should involve cleansing the guitar body, fingerboard, and strings.

It is a fact that your skin produces oil and sweat, which can adversely affect the guitar body, fingerboard, frets, and strings. Therefore, whether your guitar is a standard pick-up-and-play model or an expertly crafted masterpiece, it will undoubtedly benefit from this fundamental maintenance practice.

To ensure that your guitar is well-maintained, cleaning it every time you change the guitar strings is a good idea. This is because removing the strings gives you easy access to the areas, such as the guitar fretboard and the sound hole, where dust and grime accumulate the most.

Before you start cleaning, make sure to wash your hands and dust the surface of the guitar. Choose a well-lit, dust-free area to work in, and gather all the necessary tools. You can hold the guitar in your lap if you don’t put too much pressure on the neck. Alternatively, you can use a foam mat and a neck block to support the guitar neck.

A neck block is a support that cradles the neck of the guitar and is useful for cleaning and adjusting, setups, and changing strings. The Flatsons Mat and Kit combo is an excellent option to enhance your convenience and comfort when working on your guitar.

How To Clean An Electric Guitar

Electric guitars are among the most popular instruments worldwide, enjoyed by musicians of various skill levels. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, keeping your guitar’s quality clean is crucial to ensure it sounds its best. Though cleaning your guitar might appear overwhelming, it’s a straightforward process that requires only a few basic supplies and some time. 

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to clean your electric guitar:

1. Get your supplies. You’ll need a soft cloth, a toothbrush, or a brush with soft bristles, compressed air, and guitar polish.
2. Begin by dusting off the guitar’s body using a soft cloth. Ensure you clean all the nooks and crannies and use the toothbrush to remove stubborn dirt.
3. Compressed air removes dirt or dust from the guitar’s electronics and pickups.
4. Lastly, apply a small amount of guitar polish to the guitar’s body, and buff it to get a shine.

These simple steps let you keep your electric guitar looking and sounding its best.

What Denny Recommends

Denny loved playing guitar, and performing was an avenue that allowed him to do it. Unfortunately, Denny was never comfortable in the spotlight, so he retired from performing and began his life doing what he loved most: creating music and showing others how to do it.

Here’s what he says about maintaining the guitar shine with minimal effort. “We use something really soft like a cloth baby’s diaper slightly damp. If you want to use a polish, look for Old English Spray. You can usually get it at Walmart for about $3. We’ve tried them all, and it’s the best. For the fretboard, all of our strings contain fretboard cleaner and conditioner to be used during string changes.”

FAQS

What Can I Use To Clean My Guitar?

Zager Guitar recommends Old English Spray, which you can get from Walmart for about $3. It’s the best in the market.

Can I Use Water To Clean My Guitar?

Using water to clean your guitar is not advisable as it can damage the finish and electronics. Using specialized guitar cleaning products or a slightly damp cloth with mild soap on the fretboard.

How Do You Clean A Guitar At Home?

Use a soft cloth, a toothbrush, compressed air, and guitar polish to clean your guitar at home. Dust off the guitar’s body, clean the pickups and electronics with compressed air and apply polish to the body. Avoid using household cleaning products and use specialized guitar cleaning products instead.

Is It Okay To Clean Guitar With Alcohol?

It’s not advisable to clean your guitar with alcohol as it can damage the finish, electronics, and plastic parts. Use specialized guitar cleaning products or a damp cloth with mild soap instead.