Cleaning and maintaining your guitar is not something players think about much, but it's something that needs to be done on a regular basis to ensure the life of your favorite instrument. I've heard a number of different techniques that people use to clean their guitars, and I want to address some do's and don't when it comes to cleaning the gunk off of your favorite axe.
One thing that I've heard, which is actually very dangerous, is that using Windex and Pledge are a good way to clean your guitar. I actually read this in a magazine one time. This could not be further from the truth. I'm not saying Windex isn't a great cleaning product, because it's absolutely great. In fact, the writer at this particular magazine liked how it cut through all the grease and pit-sweat he dripped on to his guitar. That's because Windex contains ammonia.
Ammonia is one of the best chemicals that can be employed against grease. If you ever have a grease spot on your linoleum or tile that you're having trouble with, dowse it with some straight ammonia and watch it disappear. If you don't have pure ammonia, get some Windex and watch it do the same. Ammonia, however, is death to painted surfaces. It will seep into the wood of your guitar and start to eat up your paint. The writer said if used sparingly & with caution, it's okay, but I completely disagree.
As for the Pledge, the argument is made that it's made to clean and protect wood, so why not? Guitars are wood, so why not Pledge up the guitar? It'll look nice & stay dust free when not in use. The problem is that this can build up on your guitar. You want the guitar firmly under your control at all times when playing. If you've ever run your hand across a wooden table you've just cleaned with Pledge, one of the things that you'll notice is that it's kind of slick and slippery. This is something that you don't want on your guitar. Over time, this slick surface can build up and then you'll have an axe that's flying all over the place when you're trying to fly up the neck for a solo. Not cool.
Things that you do want to use on your guitar are cleaners that are specially made for cleaning your guitar or instruments. You can go online and find a bevy of different cleaners for your guitar. Things to look for are cleaners that are made especially for the neck, whether rosewood or natural finish, as each type of neck will need a cleaner designed specifically for that type of material, for the body and also for the hardware such as the tuners, bridge, frets, etc.
Most people start asking these questions about household cleaning products and their guitars because these specialized cleaners are more expensive. When it comes down to it though, nothing beats them. Guitars are made with unique materials and finishes that have different requirements than your furniture. Spending a few extra bucks on specialized cleaners is worth the price. Your guitar isn't very big and that stuff will last you over dozens of cleanings. You could probably make one round of guitar cleaner last more than a year, so why wouldn't you invest in the proper cleaners?
That's just my opinion. Some will cut corners and risk it, but I'd advise that you get the proper materials to clean your guitar. That way, you're sure to have it around for years to come, looking like something you'd like to have around for years to come as well.
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