After-Play Wipe Down

[Blueser100]

Originally Posted by Ozarkpicker

I’ve heard a lot about players wiping down their strings, and the rest of their guitars after playing. What are the benefits aside from obvious cleanliness? What kind of cloth...microfiber? Do you use any spray on the cloth?

I use the yellow felt cloths. But....I do NOT use the same cloth to wipe the strings and the guitar...string fibers can scratch my precious finish.

I use mild guitar cleaner (i.e., Ernie Ball, Martin, etc) or string cleaner.

Separate cloths!

[Denny B]

Originally Posted by Mr. Paul

What's your favorite sanitizer

I see what you did right there...

[Dbone]

Wash hands thoroughly before playing and wipe strings after every time. Doing so keeps your fretboard cleaner over time as well. I rarely wipe the guitar itself down, mainly because I don’t feel that it needs it...

[DCCougar]

Wiping the strings is probably a good idea, but I only wipe down the neck - always. I've also started to wipe the lower bout where my right arm rests so as not to built up "fogginess" in that area. Every 2 or 3 wipes I'll pump a quick spray of pump polish on the "guitar rag" that some guitar makers provide.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Dbone

Wash hands thoroughly before playing and wipe strings after every time. Doing so keeps your fretboard cleaner over time as well. I rarely wipe the guitar itself down, mainly because I don’t feel that it needs it...

Hi Dbone

The only exception for me is days like today when currently (8:45pm) it's still 80°F/27°C! I don't normally sweat, but on days like today, my forearm leaves some smudge on the top where my arm makes contact.

That I wipe off right away if possible. If not a 'spritz' of saliva will loosen it and my shop-rag microfiber rags whisk it away!

[David Rance]

Put a yellow duster over headstock of each guitar when I put it back on the stand. Wipe down strings at start or end of playing, whenever I remember to do it. Always use fingerpicks so it's the upper end of the strings that gets most attention. Have never used any cleaning agents. Play Monel and you can feel/hear the roughness from corrosion on the strings when you clean them. Monels last a long time so I think I really do all this to make the string vibrate properly although that might be nonsense! Regularly clean back of neck and sweat marks from arm resting on guitar too. The latter an old habit from playing classicals for many years when sweat from your arm would take the french polish off. My arm seems particularly good at doing that! I rarely touch the rest of the body but will inspect and dust every week or two. Similarly the tuners. (Sat next to a classical player once whose tuners had turned green. Yuk. He can't ever have cleaned them).

[Goodallboy]

Originally Posted by DCCougar

Wiping the strings is probably a good idea, but I only wipe down the neck - always. I've also started to wipe the lower bout where my right arm rests so as not to built up "fogginess" in that area. Every 2 or 3 wipes I'll pump a quick spray of pump polish on the "guitar rag" that some guitar makers provide.

Great idea to wipe that area of your guitar. Those that don't, find out later they should have.

IMO you're using far too much polish, unnecessarily. A bit of moisture from your breath and a quick wipe will do that just as well.

Polish should be used very sparingly, perhaps once a year if that.

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by Goodallboy

IMO you're using far too much polish, unnecessarily. A bit of moisture from your breath and a quick wipe will do that just as well.

Polish should be used very sparingly, perhaps once a year if that.

Well, I guess I could back off on the polish a bit. It sure makes for a nice glossy top though!

[Dbone]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi Dbone

The only exception for me is days like today when currently (8:45pm) it's still 80°F/27°C! I don't normally sweat, but on days like today, my forearm leaves some smudge on the top where my arm makes contact.

That I wipe off right away if possible. If not a 'spritz' of saliva will loosen it and my shop-rag microfiber rags whisk it away!

Roger that. Situational I guess. I play in air conditioning so the sweating is a non-issue.

[menhir]

I wipe down the strings with a good old cotton bandanna.

[Gjimmy]

Originally Posted by Goodallboy

Great idea to wipe that area of your guitar. Those that don't, find out later they should have.

IMO you're using far too much polish, unnecessarily. A bit of moisture from your breath and a quick wipe will do that just as well.

Polish should be used very sparingly, perhaps once a year if that.

Is there any remedy for the "fogginess" where your arm rests? I've started to notice this on my two Martins! Tried to wipe off with the Martin polish, but hasn't gone away fully.

[justonwo]

Originally Posted by Ozarkpicker

I’ve heard a lot about players wiping down their strings, and the rest of their guitars after playing. What are the benefits aside from obvious cleanliness? What kind of cloth...microfiber? Do you use any spray on the cloth?

The benefit is that gunk doesn’t accumulate and you can save yourself the headache of a deep clean. It keeps the neck from gumming up as well as the area where your arm rests on the top. Any guitar cloth will do. No cleaners or sprays necessary.

[TDavis]

Originally Posted by Gjimmy

Is there any remedy for the "fogginess" where your arm rests? I've started to notice this on my two Martins! Tried to wipe off with the Martin polish, but hasn't gone away fully.

Good question. Hope there’s a good answer besides “install an armrest” or “wear a long sleeve shirt”.

[EZYPIKINS]

No. Just change strings when they start to die.

[MakingMusic]

Originally Posted by DukeX

I use soft cotton on my guitars and microfiber on the strings. After every play.

Same for me. If you wash your hands before playing and if you don’t sweat, a quick wipe down with a soft, dry cloth is probably all you need day-to-day. I wipe my strings with a microfiber cloth, pinching each string along the entire length several times. Some people believe this extends the life of your strings, and it might, but it’s hard to measure. I also wipe the back of the neck, too.

When I change strings, I do a more thorough cleaning and polish.