https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Fri, 05 Jun 2026 09:26:51 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/paged/2/#post-51979 Mon, 15 Mar 2004 00:24:13 +0000 I was going to paint a window sill once that had been treated with linseed oil and the whole surface of the sill was as soft as rubber,the surface was ruined and would not accept paint. That's why you don't use linseed oil. Olive oil won't do that. It's not experimenting, I've been using it for years. As for household products like furniture wax, they're made to be used on products finished with the same types of finishes used on guitars. They're not harmful. Any guitar maker who warns against using them is selling their own "special guitar polish." As pointed out in another thread in this forum, Fender guitar paint is automotive paint. That's why the folks who like to use automotive polishes and waxes find they work so well. Certainly there are stupid things you can do that will mess up a guitar's finish, or your coffee table's. For example, you could think "if lemon oil's good for my fretboard, this orange oil would be great stuff!" "Lemon oil" isn't stuff that comes from lemons. It's lemon scented light mineral oil, same as baby oil with a different smell. REAL citrus oil extracted from citrus peels, orange, lemon, whatever, is a powerful organic solvent that's used to clean things like gunky bicycle chains. It'll strip many finishes right off in seconds.

But don't think there's anything special about guitar finishes because they're on guitars. They're all standard, common finishes. You just need to know what kind of finish you're working with. It's certainly a way to play safe to use approved products from the guitar makers, but it's not necessary.

Do you only use the carmaker's brand of motor oil in your car? Lots of folks do, because it's recommended in the manual and by the dealer. Of course, the carmakers buy generic oil that meets their minimum specs from the lowest bidding vendor and put their label on it. Same way the guitar makers get their branded cleaning products.
]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance Ricochet https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/paged/2/#post-51979 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/paged/2/#post-51978 Sun, 14 Mar 2004 18:29:35 +0000
Any good ideas that will allow me to clean the fretboard and all without encountering this problem?]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance TwistedFingers https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/paged/2/#post-51978 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/paged/2/#post-51977 Sun, 14 Mar 2004 08:17:10 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance jalma https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/paged/2/#post-51977 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/paged/2/#post-51976 Sat, 13 Mar 2004 00:45:48 +0000

So... The olive oil I currently have in my cupboard would work just fine then?
Yep.
]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance Ricochet https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/paged/2/#post-51976 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/paged/2/#post-51975 Fri, 12 Mar 2004 16:41:19 +0000 Guitar Repair and Maintenance Anonymous https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/paged/2/#post-51975 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/#post-51974 Fri, 12 Mar 2004 16:37:25 +0000 Nick, I do use and recommend olive oil as a fretboard and string lubricant. It's different from other vegetable oils in having a high level of the monounsaturated oleic acid, which doesn't dry up and turn gummy like the others. Doesn't smell funky on the guitar. You've got to put your nose right to it; I kind of like the faint scent it has. Stays nice and slick. Makes the strings bend and slide more smoothly, and if you pull the strings through fingers dipped in it when you put them on, then wipe them off gently, they last a LOT longer. It won't dissolve finish materials or glues as mineral oils can. Ask a gunsmith or anyone who's worked on old guns; mineral oils deteriorate wood over time. Turns it into a punky mess over decades.

If you like mineral oil, though (and it works OK as that's what most of the commercial "lemon oil" and other fretboard lubes are made from), baby oil's the best deal. It's just got a different fragrance in it from "lemon oil."


So... The olive oil I currently have in my cupboard would work just fine then?
]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance TwistedFingers https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/#post-51974 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/#post-51973 Fri, 12 Mar 2004 06:15:09 +0000
If you like mineral oil, though (and it works OK as that's what most of the commercial "lemon oil" and other fretboard lubes are made from), baby oil's the best deal. It's just got a different fragrance in it from "lemon oil."
]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance Ricochet https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/#post-51973 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/#post-51972 Sun, 22 Feb 2004 18:40:29 +0000 lol, Gandalf  I think you just contradicted yourself.

Lol. Yes, yes i did contridict my self, So let me restate use any oli that is nautral, mineral, lemon and that all I can think of right now, but yea I agree with the lvegetable oil because over time it become gummy.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance Gandalf https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/#post-51972 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/#post-51971 Sun, 22 Feb 2004 18:33:29 +0000

IT DOESN"T MATTER WHAT YOU USE, as long as it's....

Well then it does matter, doesn't it? :)


Use a natural oil is fine.  Pick one that won't go rancid.


I have personal experience over time with Scott's so I recommend it.

I wouldn't recommend Linseed or Olive oil because of the smell.

I wouldn't recommend any vegetable oil because it will go bad eventually.

I wouldn't recommend citrus if you are a fanatic who oils at every string change because of the acidity.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance Nick Torres https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/#post-51971 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/#post-51970 Sun, 22 Feb 2004 18:03:54 +0000
btw: if you have any cracks in the fretbord don't put any in it, it will end up doing damage.]]> Guitar Repair and Maintenance Gandalf https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-repair-and-maintenance/cleaning-the-entire-guitar/#post-51970