What is the best way for fretboard cleaning?

[Black-n-Nan]

Is it necessary to do with every restringing?
Have read many opinions, all are different.
Steel wool or naphta?
I use naphtha but not sure it's good for ebony.
Thanks.

[nikpearson]

Unless the fingerboard was very dirty as it could dry the fingerboard out.

I usually use lemon oil to clean with very fine wire wool, once or twice a year, then polish with a paper towel or microfibre cloth to pick up the wire-wool residue and any dirt. Then finish of with Music Nomad fingerboard oil. Many people use lemon oil products to oil the fingerboard but the ones I’ve used seem to have little to no oil content and leave the fingerboard feeling too dry.

Liberon 0000 wire wool is the best I’ve use; very fine and consistent. Also good for polishing frets.

[Black-n-Nan]

Originally Posted by nikpearson

Liberon 0000 wire wool is the best I’ve use; very fine and consistent. Also good for polishing frets.

Thanks, have ordered Liberon 0000.

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by Black-n-Nan

Is it necessary to do with every restringing?
Have read many opinions, all are different.
Steel wool or naphta?
I use naphtha but not sure it's good for ebony.
Thanks.

Hi, first question first - No.

however, I tend to clean my fretboards when I change strings which is every 2-3 months, or less.

However, I use a non silicone polish designed for antique furniture. I apply is with a cloth merely dampened in the solution ensuring that no liquid seeps under the frets, and wipe off the dampness immediately.

Under normal conditions "oiling" the ebony or rosewood of a fretboard is unnecessary more than once a year.

see :

[redir]

This stuff is actually pretty impressive:

https://www.stewmac.com/Materials_an...ing_Cloth.html

When they are really bad I take a razor blade and scrape the gunk off of it followed by the ultra fine steel wool. If I scrape it back real clean then I might finish it with some Howards Feed-N-Wax.

https://www.howardproducts.com/produ...d-conditioner/

[Bruce Sexauer]

0000 steel wool in line with the frets. Liberon is the best I’ve tried, but any is okay. No solvents or oils required, or advised.

[Mr. Jelly]

Hot water is the easiest and the best option.

[HodgdonExtreme]

I give a good wipe down with microfiber cloth each string change, trying to get into the little corners formed where the frets meet the fingerboard.

Once (or less) per year, I'll wipe with microfiber, 0000 steelwool, then microfiber again. Followed by a VERY small amount of lemon oil or tongue oil. I'll stretch out 1 or 2 drops to cover the entire board. LESS is more, in this case.

[keith.rogers]

I would not use tung oil unless you specifically mean to put a hardening (polymerizing) finish on. Of course, if you steel wool later with something else, it will get removed to some degree.

I don't think lemon oil is worth the extra they get for it. Just use mineral oil.

I use just a clean scrap of t-shirt or microfiber. If it really needs some grime removed, 0000 steel wool with a drop of mineral oil, followed by the cotton rag. I'll follow with a bit of dark floor wax if I've gone the steel wool+mineral oil route, but that's once a year, or more likely every other...

This is for rosewood and ebony, to be clear, i.e., not lacquered/finished maple fingerboards.

[lowrider]

I usually wash my hands before I play and my fretboards never get dirty. My guitars do, but the fretboards stay clean.

[HodgdonExtreme]

Originally Posted by lowrider

I usually wash my hands before I play and my fretboards never get dirty. My guitars do, but the fretboards stay clean.

Your pick, fingers and hands don't slough off any detritus whatsoever?

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

Hot water is the easiest and the best option.

I've not heard of this, but if you use water, be VERY careful not to allow ANY liquid to seep under the frets, or any binding.

Wet wood swells !

[maxtheaxe]

For fretboard cleaning, I've been just using Finger-ease (and a cotton diaper) ever since it first came out back in the 1970s...I've never had it damage finishes, even on nitrocellulose finishes. I've used it on all types of fretboard wood, and right now all of my acoustics have ebony boards; electrics have maple, rosewood or ebony.

It's main ingredient is mineral oil. Seems to also have a mild solvent property; I wouldn't leave it on for any length of time, and remove any overspray from the body. Cleans very nicely without drying out the wood.

I would not, however, use steel wool on a guitar, as the stuff puts out very fine iron dust that can collect in crevices and sooner or later will oxidize/generate rust. If this is a preferred method it would be better to use bronze wool, available from anyplace that sells products for boats, and many paint stores as well.