Other chemicals to avoid are bleach, baking powder, or any cloth/ brush that might have rough enough bristles to scratch the finish on your guitar. A general rule to follow would be: If you think it might harm or scratch your guitar, it's best not to use it. Can I Use Windex on My Guitar?

As well as protection against all those nasties above, applying oil will condition the tonewood and stop it drying out. What are the consequences of it drying out? This same sweat so artistically accentuated by the lighting will, over spans of time, wriggle into just about every orifice of the guitar, compromising the wood, metal, and electronics. So now that we have elucidated a few preliminary facts, we can begin to discuss our primary point of concern, homing in on the central area of contention for today’s article: is lemon oil good for the fretboard or not? Your fingerboard has more moisture in it than you might imagine. The wood itself has its own natural oils and if you are unsure, then put the oil down. This one contains petroleum distillates, so you need to take a bit more careful handling it, but don’t let that take anything away from this product. The petroleum distillates work to thoroughly clean and protect, but this honey should be used sparingly, to ensure that it doesn’t prematurely wear out your fretboard. It does provide a really good layer of protection, though.So that sums up the debate. If you are applying oil sparingly, in the right quantities, and keeping your guitar maintained, then what oil you actually use on the fretboard becomes a bit of a non-issue.

You should keep in mind that all of these products are made to take care of your fretboard. It is always a better option to buy a fretboard oil than to experiment with some household products that might contain chemicals that can damage the finish of the guitar. Silicone undergoes a phase transition from liquid to solid once it has set, making any imperfections difficult to correct once dry. And once it’s dry, your guitar’s finish might look shiny, but it probably doesn’t feel that smooth to the touch. This is how your strings will feel after an application of silicone car cleaner. Not the silky smooth texture you were hoping for. Verdict Bike chain lube would be a decent alternative to string lubricant, as they’re both intended for steel parts. But if you’re going to experiment with this, make sure to apply it to your strings with a cotton ball, not directly from the bottle, which tends to drip everywhere. Then wipe off the excess thoroughly and allow it to dry before playing. If you’ve ever tried to polish your car and notice it looks pretty bad after, you’ve run into this issue! It’s very difficult to get an even coat of polish applied, and the results are challenging to correct. This is especially the case for a rosewood fretboard, which is more often than not left untreated with additional lacquer, so it is, in some important sense, still alive, and should be treated as such.Before cleaning the body of your guitar, it's a good idea to place masking tape or painter's tape over the sound hole. Because the sound hole is unfinished, you don't want to get any unwanted materials inside that accidentally might damage it. You can also use a small balloon and blow it up while inside your guitar to fit the sound hole's diameter. However, food grade mineral oil has been specially refined so that it has been filtered of all toxins. Which is why this non-drying oil is food safe enough to use to condition even a cutting board surface.

Note: make sure you don’t use a household cleaning product such as Lemon Pledge. These things are water-based and the last thing you should be using. How Often Should I Apply it? The one downside of baby oil is that a fragrance is usually added. While this makes your skin smell nice, depending on the scent you may get tired of smelling it every time you play your guitar. It won’t cause any damage, but if you don’t want your guitar smelling like a baby, you may want to avoid it.Many car waxes contain silicone. Silicone is used to restore a car’s exterior to a lustrous finish, and is most widely used as a polish and cleaner, not really a lubricant. Sure, you could slide a piece of cardboard between your fretboard and strings before spraying, but is this really worth it when there are safer alternatives out there? Additionally, an aerosol isn’t as precise as a liquid applied with a cotton ball or other applicator, and you really don’t want to be spraying WD-40 all over the rest of your guitar since it can damage the finish. Verdict If your fingerboard is made from an exotic wood such as Hawaiian Koa, or Ziricote, then products made of petroleum distillates such as Gerlitz Honey (see below) are a great option. If you want to play it really safe, try Music Nomad’s F1 which is 100% natural mineral-based, so it won’t harm your wood. When to Use Lemon Oil? Guitar Lemon Oil is used by many players worldwide to keep their guitar looking and feeling great but it's important to understand how to apply it and when to! Firstly we recommend only using lemon oil or fretboard conditioner from a reputable company like Planet Waves, D'Addario, Dunlop, or Musicnomad as these blends of lemon oil are tested to make sure they do not damage your fretboard. This is important as using pure lemon oil can damage your fretboard. Lemon oil from reputable brands is composed primarily of safe mineral oils with trace amounts of lemon that help remove dirt and smell great. When using guitar lemon oils all you need is a few drops on a clean towel or clean polishing cloth and this can be wiped onto your fretboard. You do not need to soak your fretboard simply enough to leave a light sheen on your fretboard, once your whole fretboard has been wiped you can simply take a clean towel and wipe off any excess. The woods used in a guitar have natural oils inside them so you should only need to do this once or twice a year. Lemon oil should only be used on dark woods such as a rosewood or ebony fretboard, we would not advise using them on a maple fretboard as this can discolor wood. Lemon oil and conditioners make for great cleaning products and often come in handy spray bottles but it is important to use them safely and sparingly. Why Do I Need Guitar Lemon Oil? Everyday household items like autowax, cue tips, microfiber cloths, masking tape, and vinegar can be used on different parts of your guitar to give it a deep clean. Taking note of your guitar's finish, you can create a cleaning solution that is inexpensive and easy to use from only household items.

So Martin Guitars state that pure lemon oil should be avoided if you want to steer clear of fret corrosion, damaging adhesives, or breaking down any finish. The best thing you can use to condition a fretboard is 100% pure food grade mineral oil. This oil doesn’t dry or harden, and it doesn’t go rancid.It comes in a bottle the same size as the Honey and the F-One liquids and is easy to drip out through the small drip release. There’s no lemon in this, so it’s safe and the liquid has been filtered to eliminate impurities and residue. Well, if you remember the last time you used a pencil (it’s been a while) you know how easily it gets all over your fingers. It also likes to stay there, and doesn’t wash off so well. So applying this to your strings may not be the best idea, since it will just come off on your fingers anyway. Verdict It is safe for all types of woods so you are less likely to make a mistake. The products listed here are the best ones in my opinion. People are claiming that some products are dangerous, but as long as you use them moderately and following the instructions, you won’t have any problems. The Peavey lemon oil will suit those looking for a cleaner and conditioner. It won’t be suited to those who are looking for something gentle, as it contains petroleum distillates as part of its protection against grime. This is probably the most important part of your guitar to clean frequently. The fretboard is the part of your guitar that gets subjected to the most wear and punishment, and excessive build-up of sweat and dust can cause permanent damage if you’re not careful.