Cleaning Guitar Strings

**cisco kid** · 08-07-2010, 10:42 PM

What do you recommend for cleaning guitar strings (acoustic & electric)?

Using a clean dry cloth, Blitz cloths (string care), Fingerease, GHS cleaner, Dr. Stringfellow (I think that's the name), or using light mineral oil, are some of the suggestions I've heard.

I understand one should stay away from cleaners/sprays for guitar strings or finish containing silicone it's a nightmare for a luthier/guitar repairman putting on a new finish with silicone on the old finish.

I prefer the Thomastic Infeld strings but are expensive compare to the others. I like to make them last as long as possible.

What would you guitarists recommend?

**drobniuch** · 08-08-2010, 03:31 AM

Don't clean them it's XXI Century.. buy new ones (and "wet up" your freat board).
Any attempt to clean makes them last shorter.. If U don't like the dirt under them simply slide with an A4 sheet of paper

**robertm2000** · 08-08-2010, 03:39 AM

A clean cotton cloth (old t-shirt or WELL washed diaper)with no spray or other chemicals - wipe the strings thoroughly every time you play and keep the cloth clean. Worked for me for years - I can get twice the life out of strings, both round and flat wounds.

I did hear of someone who claimed using Windex sprayed on a cloth worked - never tried it. And someone else mentioned boiling old strings in plain water for a short period to renew them- never tried that either; just easier to buy new strings. But interesting tips...

**franco6719** · 08-08-2010, 05:24 AM

What does "wet up" your fretboard mean?

**franco6719** · 08-08-2010, 05:29 AM

Just plain old H20 on the frets?

**Flat** · 08-08-2010, 05:30 AM

I use John Pearse String Swipes. Little bits of cloth soaked in a deoxidizing agent (DeoxIT). They work very well.

Wiping the strings fairly vigorously can bring moderately corroded strings back to life..at least for a bit longer.

**fumblefingers** · 08-08-2010, 07:43 AM

Originally Posted by franco6719

What does "wet up" your fretboard mean?

moisturize your ebony fretboard.

no worries. i never do it either. (but my guitar tech guy does)

**whiskey02** · 08-08-2010, 02:58 PM

If you don't mind the effort, you can remove the strings and clean them with WD40. I knew a guy many years ago that did this; worked pretty well from what I remember. He sprayed the strings and a square of old tee shirt. Let em' soak for a few minutes and wipe off the excess. Don't try it without removing the strings.

**cisco kid** · 08-08-2010, 05:17 PM

Thanks for the advice.
Dan Erlewine (guitar repair guru) who wrote Guitar Player Repair Guide uses and swears by the Blitz cleaning cloths used in the military and sold in Army Surplus stores. This company been around since 1912 and sells treated cloths to clean different metals for jewelry and pots and everything else of metal. Erlewine says it's the best cloth to clean guitar strings. I just bought a set at the .99 cent store (to my surprise) normally they cost about 5 bucks or so. It really works. But I hear you are not suppose to use any oily substance on strings .... so why is Fingerease and the rest so popular they contain mineral oil.
Armoral has silicone and alcohol I've heard - I'd stay away from it. I wouldn't put it on my amp to clean...Lexol conditioner is the best for the amp cover..imho.
DR has something called "Stringlife" or "Strength" a bottle of some kind of liquid that you put on your guitar strings ... leave it on for 24 hours and buff. It coats the strings leaving a layer that protects the strings like the ones you buy already placed on. I have not tried that yet, if I can find a bottle.
Thanks for the feedback!

**markf** · 08-08-2010, 05:54 PM

tried glass cleaner, just on the strings, it worked very well. made strings sound much better and tune up better.

if you use expensive strings, its worth it to figure this out.

**RonD** · 08-08-2010, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by franco6719

Just plain old H20 on the frets?

NO! don't use water.
Frankly, I'm surprised at the majority of the comments.
A clean DRY cloth after you play should do the job.
Washing your hands before playing is also a good idea.

Just how long do you expect strings to last?

**brad4d8** · 08-08-2010, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by robertm2000

someone else mentioned boiling old strings in plain water for a short period to renew them- never tried that either

When I was in college where new strings were a budget problem and at least 35 miles away, I boiled my wound strings a couple of times, and it did renew them enough to extend their life. Somebody mentioned Blitz cleaning cloths, and I don't know if they were the same thing, but my mother once gave me a cloth to clean my flute with, it was something they used to clean the gold and silver on the altar at her church. Worked well on the flute (and on tarnished silverware), but I never thought to try it on strings.
My late sister-in-law had an ultrasonic cleaner for her jewelery, wonder how that would work on strings.
Brad

**cisco kid** · 08-09-2010, 12:33 AM

Originally Posted by brad4d8

When I was in college where new strings were a budget problem and at least 35 miles away, I boiled my wound strings a couple of times, and it did renew them enough to extend their life. Somebody mentioned Blitz cleaning cloths, and I don't know if they were the same thing, but my mother once gave me a cloth to clean my flute with, it was something they used to clean the gold and silver on the altar at her church. Worked well on the flute (and on tarnished silverware), but I never thought to try it on strings.
My late sister-in-law had an ultrasonic cleaner for her jewelery, wonder how that would work on strings.
Brad

The Blitz cloth has been around (still in business) since 1912. It probably was the cloth you used. They sell different cloths for different metals even nickel including for guitar string cleaning, etc. The yellow cloth for cleaning is a bit oily and when cleaning the strings leaves a black stain on the cloth but that's ok you can reuse it. Then you buff the strings with the gray cloth. The strings look like new afterwards. I just got a hold of some. They have a website. Dan Erlewine a well known guitar repairman/author swears they're the best string cleaner he has used.

**drobniuch** · 08-09-2010, 04:54 AM

Washing your hands before playing is also a good idea.

The only advise worth the whole thread

Just plain old H20 on the frets?

use Fretboard Conditioner (I like Gibsons). makes roosewood look and feel better

**billkath** · 08-09-2010, 05:54 AM

I use dunlop 65 string cleaner. I have that skin that rots strings in days, and this stuff kicks fastfret's butt for giving me a longer string life. I can get 3 gigs out of a set of strings (fender stainless bullet 10's) with it. I use it on the strings as soon as I restring, and after every gig.

**henry b** · 08-09-2010, 09:45 AM

Use Elixir strings , problem solved .imho.

**cosmic gumbo** · 08-13-2010, 02:09 AM

Well, for cleaning strings, I've found nothing works better than silk panties moistened with some Old Crow.

**franco6719** · 08-13-2010, 03:36 AM

Originally Posted by RonD

NO! don't use water.
Frankly, I'm surprised at the majority of the comments.
A clean DRY cloth after you play should do the job.
Washing your hands before playing is also a good idea.

Just how long do you expect strings to last?

On the frets themselves I mean. Not the strings! I have always been wiping with a regular cloth, but I don't think it (the fretboard) has been "moisturized" (by what?) since the Paleolithic.

**RonD** · 08-13-2010, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by franco6719

On the frets themselves I mean. Not the strings! I have always been wiping with a regular cloth, but I don't think it (the fretboard) has been "moisturized" (by what?) since the Paleolithic.

With the strings removed, use a small amount of lemon oil and 0000 steel wool to clean the fingerboard and frets. Let the oil soak in for a few minutes, then wipe of any excess with a clean, dry cotton cloth.

**cisco kid** · 08-13-2010, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by RonD

With the strings removed, use a small amount of lemon oil and 0000 steel wool to clean the fingerboard and frets. Let the oil soak in for a few minutes, then wipe of any excess with a clean, dry cotton cloth.

Lemon oil on the fretboard is the most popular method in cleaning the fretboard. But I find it a little sticky at times.
I use the Stewart MacDonald's "Professional Fretboard Finishing Oil" bottle. You need to clean the fretboard if not new with steel wool 0000 grade (do not use on maple fingerboard, of course). I then clean it lightly with Formby's Build-up Remover (you can use Naphta just a little on a cheese cloth - that's lighter fluid). I buff it then use the Pro Fretboard Finishing Oil on a cheese cloth then wipe excess leave on for 24 hours and your set ... no oily feel.
Stewart-MacDonald's Guitar Supply has a website it's a hardware store for luthiers/guitar builders and guitarists - you name it they just about have it for guitar supplies - they have also a catalog.

**wyatt** · 08-13-2010, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by RonD

NO! don't use water.
Frankly, I'm surprised at the majority of the comments.
A clean DRY cloth after you play should do the job.
Washing your hands before playing is also a good idea.

Just how long do you expect strings to last?

1.Yes-- Washing your hands, and wiping the strings with a microfiber cloth immediatly after playing, are the two most effective ways to extend string life.

2.Use of a string cleaner that leaves any kind of oily residue will only cause dust and microscopic debris to accumulate between the winds of the string deadening the sound.
If you need to, only use a non residue string wipe such as "Big Bends guitar String Wipes" http://www.bigbends.com/
I have been very happy with these.

3. In regards to cleaning and oiling the fret board, here is a very good read. Bore Oil for the Fife and Fret Doctor
Over the years, I have used just about everything mentioned in this thread, and in my humble opinion this product("Fret Doctor" bore oil) will give you outstanding results. He explains,(at the link above) in order to be effective, the oil needs to penetrate the wood, and contain no petroleum distillates.
Most oils will only result in sealing the surface of the fingerboard, preventing proper moisturization of the wood.

4. The longevity of a set of strings is dependent on many factors( humidity, temperature, playing style, care[or lack of], and length of time strung under tension played or not).
I too prefer Infeld strings, and yes, it can get costly to replace them often, but I have found it's better to use a less expensive brand of strings, and change them frequently. A new set of D'addarios will sound much better than an old set of Infelds!

After all, it's all about the tone. (and the tone is in the fingers)

**Drumbler** · 08-14-2010, 03:51 PM

Spray some WD-40 on a cloth and rub the strings down on top and underneath.

You'll see black grime come off.

**cosmic gumbo** · 08-14-2010, 10:15 PM

As bassist James Jamerson once said about his nasty old strings, "the funk is in the dirt".

**robertm2000** · 08-14-2010, 11:12 PM

Didn't funky originally mean dirty? I recall Papa John Creach, the blues violin player, saying on TV years ago, about one of his blues - "The title tells the story. I call it 'Funky Filthy.' "