Forum - Main Forums : Guitar Technology

Today's Active Topics · FORUM INDEX · Search Forum · Who's Online? · FAQs/Help · Calendar

Main Forums >> Guitar Technology

Print Thread

Pages: 1

WADEAL

Joined: 02/05/08
Posts: 272

Naptha - alternative cleaning products for guitars. new

#986409 - 08/05/12 08:16 PM

I have been on the Stewmac website and they recommend Behlen’s Naptha for all sorts of guitar cleaning routines.

Behlen’s are presently out of stock until June and I understand that purity in such cleaning materials is vital. I don’t want to damage my beloved guitars, but I also don’t want to have to wait until June before starting work and cleaning them properly. So is there an alternative that is easily obtained in the UK that will safely do the biz?

Post Extras:

Chaconne

Joined: 21/02/05
Posts: 1108
Loc: Oxford

Re: Naptha - alternative cleaning products for guitars. new

[Re: WADEAL]
#986433 - 08/05/12 10:16 PM

I was given some Dr Stringfellow Lemon oil by a music store when I needed to clean a fretboard, and I have found that that stuff cleans almost anything up a treat. Obviously not so good for metalwork or corrosion though.

--------------------

Post Extras:

Dan Bo

Joined: 20/07/07
Posts: 435
Loc: Oxford

Re: Naptha - alternative cleaning products for guitars. new

[Re: WADEAL]
#986437 - 08/05/12 10:33 PM

This is what i'd suggest:

For cleaning a guitar body = White Spirit dab on a soft cloth
For cleaning the fretboard = Lemon Oil...any brand they are all the same. (Note: not to be used on Maple fretboards)
For cleaning hardware = Dry cloth/ Yellow duster cloth and possible a dry old toothbrush/paint brush for getting into those dusty Floyd's etc.

Hope that helps

Dan

Post Extras:

Madman_Greg

Joined: 07/12/06
Posts: 706
Loc: The back of beyond

Re: Naptha - alternative cleaning products for guitars. [Re: Dan Bo]
#986440 - 08/05/12 11:15 PM

you could investigate this stuff

http://www.u-pol.com/documents/datasheets/hsds/S2001-HSDS-EN.pdf

and I found this on another forum

B&Q sells naptha branded as "Bartoline Premium Low Odour White Spirit". 2L will cost you £4

but you would need to check it out at B&Q

--------------------
Madman_Greg

Post Extras:

zenguitar
active member

Joined: 05/12/02
Posts: 7613
Loc: Devon

Re: Naptha - alternative cleaning products for guitars. new

[Re: WADEAL]
#986448 - 08/05/12 11:47 PM

I doubt that StewMac would ship naphtha to the UK anyway, they no longer ship flammable items overseas.

For cleaning paint/lacquer I always use white spirit. For ebony/rosewood fretboards and bridges I use lemon oil, it's largely a conditioner for the wood but it does lift off general grime too. For maple fretboards (and VERY dirty rosewood/ebony ones) I'll use lighter fluid, which is another name for naphtha. For electric bridges I like to strip them down and soak them in a jar of WD40 overnight then use a toothbrush/kitchen roll to clean them before lubricating with 3in1 Oil when I reassemble.

So, if you want to try any of the naphtha techniques on the StewMac site, a can of lighter fluid will do the job. But be careful with paint/lacquer finishes, it is a solvent and can do a lot of damage if you aren't careful.

Andy

--------------------
When the going gets weird, the Weird turn Pro.

Post Extras:

Pages: 1

Extra Information
2 registered and 14 anonymous users are browsing this forum. Moderator: David Etheridge, James Perrett, zenguitar, Martin Walker, Forum Admin, Hugh Robjohns, Zukan, Frank Eleveld, Will Betts,	Forum Permissions You cannot start new topics You cannot reply to topics HTML is disabled UBBCode is enabled	Rating: Thread views: 2467