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Y'all probably know this, but if u ever wanna clean your fretboard properly, without using steelwool (as was suggested to me by a local expert...:-\) then use lemon juice. Just a little bit on an earbud, rub rub rub, wipe it down quickly and voila!!
It evaporates pretty quick and the result is nice clean wood.

Now you know. 8)

On the left after lemon juice, on the right before.

    I bought a bottle of that fret board cleaner, Dunlop 65, quite expensive at R400is, but it will last you years. Contains lemon oil they say, lemon to clean and oil to rehydrate the fretboard. It has a built in applicator.
    Lol. Greg, not sure how to take your reply...
    Are you tellin me about an alternative? Or mumbling about how much you paid?
    I just burst out laughing. Wasnt intentional. Sorry.
      Greg Perkins wrote: I bought a bottle of that fret board cleaner, Dunlop 65, quite expensive at R400is, but it will last you years. Contains lemon oil they say, lemon to clean and oil to rehydrate the fretboard. It has a built in applicator.
      I use the same. Love the stuff.
        Napatha (lighter fluid) to clean and Woodoc to treat afterwards (I don't use much woodoc and I do buff it in).

        Lemon Oil is mainly napatha with some mineral oils and scent mixed in - I think of it as a 2 in 1 version of the above. Prefer the combo of napatha + woodoc.

        For cleaning the body (if a painted finish) : napatha + car wax (whatever I got lying around).

        I've used various lemon oils and the fender waxes - but I think they are overpriced and don't work as well.
          wern101 wrote: Lol. Greg, not sure how to take your reply...
          Are you tellin me about an alternative? Or mumbling about how much you paid?
          I just burst out laughing. Wasnt intentional. Sorry.
          Reaffirming the use of lemon juice but intimating the need to oil the board as well. Just using lemon juice could dry the wood out.

          Have been know to ramble on a bit
          Your local expert is not wrong. Some very fine steel wool is perfect for the job.
            Thanks clarifying Gregg. I have been known to think very cynically and sarcastically about things.

            I will have to ensure I get some oil then. ?
            Shibbibilybob wrote: Your local expert is not wrong. Some very fine steel wool is perfect for the job.
            Ah...see. He forgot to mention 'very fine' when he said steel wool....
            3 years later

            I also found that any alcoholic spirits work well. I just place a few drops in a tiny container like a bottle-cap, and dab a cloth gently in it and rub the "gunk" off. It comes off very easily and your fretboard may even smell like bourbon or gin afterwards... hmmmm. The key is to oil it afterwards with lemon oil or whatever your preference is, because the wood looks visibly dried out afterwards.

            6 days later

            ChrisDanger Yeah, hardware centre is the only place I know in JHB that carries this stuff. You can get a truly spectacular finish if you combine 0000 steel-wool with a good tung oil (I like Rustin's Danish Oil).

                4 days later

                A good toothbrush and Teak oil, Lemon Oil (Dunlop 65), White Spirit, Napthta, etc. Scrub the fretboard for a few minutes and wipe everything off. Lately I've been using mostly Burmese Teak Oil (the cheap, red one). It's thin, the wood absorbs is fairly well (I don't leave it too long) and gives a nice colour to rosewood. And it's dirt cheap compared to Dunlop 65. I rarely use 0000 steel wool anymore and never used it to clean a fretboard.

                Ordinary cleaning benzine for me, and a bit of teak oil afterwards.
                Never caused any of my guitars any harm.

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