You may need remove a plate on the back of the guitar to access the strings.

Do not do this with the wood portion of the fretboard that extends down into the body. You will clean this wood piece differently. Do this after every playing session to keep fingerprints, skin oils, and sweat from building up on the body of the guitar.

Basically any guitar polish will work for this so long as it doesn’t have a cutting compound in it. If the label says it’s safe for any instrument or that it’s non-abrasive, it’s safe for your guitar. Part of the allure of a vintage instrument is that it looks older! You can certainly use the remainder of these steps if you’d like, but it may remove or wear down older finishes. Most collectors and musicians like to keep their vintage guitars looking vintage, though.

You really only find satin finishes on wood guitars. If your guitar’s body is wood and it has a kind of bumpy texture, you have a satin finish.

You don’t need to soak the entire body in this stuff. You only need a few sprays to lubricate the surface. The main goal here is to get the guitar wet for the detailing clay in the next step. You can use a little water instead of detailing spray if you prefer. It won’t do as good a job cleaning, but it’s easier and doesn’t involve buying another cleaning product!

The body should be pretty dry already since the clay tends to absorb everything it comes in contact with, but a quick wipe will clear any clay particles off. If you have a glossy finish, you can dip a microfiber cloth in a water and vinegar solution and rub the guitar down instead. Mix 2-parts water with 1-part white vinegar for a more natural cleaning solution.

The lighter fluid won’t damage the finish on your guitar. You can use a degreaser instead if you’re really worried about this, though.

You can stop here if you’d like, but the shiny look will wear away after a few weeks of use. There are a variety of guitar polishes out there for different finishes. Get a matte polish if you don’t have a glossy lacquer on the body of your guitar. Never use furniture polishes, like Pledge, to clean the body of your guitar. These polishes may break down the finish on your guitar and they can change the color of the paint over time. Glass cleaners will simililarly damage your guitar.

Repeat these steps on the back of the guitar after you’ve finished cleaning the front.

The fretboard refers to the long neck of the guitar where the strings rest.

Maple is weaker than the other common options, so it’s often coated in a lacquer or finish to protect it. If you use any abrasive cleaners, oils, or soaps, you will permanently damage the maple fretboard. Do not follow any of the remaining steps if you have a maple fretboard and head.

You can use a furniture buffing pad if you’re worried about damaging the wood, but the ultra-fine steel wool works wonders and won’t harm the wood.

These soaps are often marketed as polishes, but make sure that you’re getting a soap, not a lacquer.

You don’t need to push the steel wool firmly into the wood. A gentle brushing is more than enough to refresh the fretboard. Do not go across the fretboard horizontally. The grain on the fretboard runs up and down, and wiping the steel wool horizontally may damage or weaken the wood. You can do this for the head of the guitar where the tuning keys are, but you may not need to. Most guitar players just wipe this area with a dry cloth to clean it.

You can stop here if you’re happy with the look of the fretboard.

To give your guitar even more shine, mix 2 teaspoons (9. 9 mL) of olive oil into the lemon oil before applying it to the fretboard. [17] X Expert Source Carlos Alonzo Rivera, MAProfessional Guitarist Expert Interview. 27 August 2019.

This is also basically the only way to clean around the tuning keys at the head of the guitar.

Since you’re always touching the knobs and the bridge doesn’t get very dirty, most people don’t clean these components beyond giving them a gentle wipe. You also have to remove them to get them really clean, which makes this process kind of a pain.

Clip any excess string off with wire cutters.