cleaning a rosewood fingerboard with Lemon Oil....simple question

[heavybluesy]

I got dunlop lemon oil to clean my brazilian rosewood fingerboard. It says in the warmoth instructions that removing all the guitar strings can lead to permanent backbow. Does this mean if I take them off for like 15 minutes, or more like if I take them off and keep them off for days. The instructions aren't clear. I want to remove all my strings for no more than 15 minutes so I can clean my fretboard, then immediately put the strings back on...is this generally safe?

 

[dbw]

Yes.

 

[bbl4ck]

Clean away with your bad self :headbang:

 

[heavybluesy]

haha, thanks guys!!  :headbang1:  :headbang1:  :headbang1:

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

I didn't think that you cleaned your fingerboard with lemon oil........... :confused4:

I just cleaned my fingerboard with a 2/3rd's water 1/3rd cloudy ammonia mix, with a toothbrush,  then I put the oil ( In my case Tung Oil ) on the fingerboard. 

 

[Orpheo]

I didn't think that you cleaned your fingerboard with lemon oil........... :confused4:

I just cleaned my fingerboard with a 2/3rd's water 1/3rd cloudy ammonia mix, with a toothbrush,  then I put the oil ( In my case Tung Oil ) on the fingerboard. 

+1

Though I wouldn't use ammonia on a guitar. I'd use vinegar. just the regular, clear one, not balsamic

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

I didn't think that you cleaned your fingerboard with lemon oil........... :confused4:

I just cleaned my fingerboard with a 2/3rd's water 1/3rd cloudy ammonia mix, with a toothbrush,  then I put the oil ( In my case Tung Oil ) on the fingerboard. 

+1

Though I wouldn't use ammonia on a guitar. I'd use vinegar. just the regular, clear one, not balsamic

Why is this?

 

[Orpheo]

I didn't think that you cleaned your fingerboard with lemon oil........... :confused4:

I just cleaned my fingerboard with a 2/3rd's water 1/3rd cloudy ammonia mix, with a toothbrush,  then I put the oil ( In my case Tung Oil ) on the fingerboard. 

+1

Though I wouldn't use ammonia on a guitar. I'd use vinegar. just the regular, clear one, not balsamic

Why is this?

cause balsamic vinegar is too expensive  :toothy10:

but ammonia is imho too agressive, and vinegar is just a sour wine (which it really is). wiki is now offline , so I can't look it really up.

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

I didn't think that you cleaned your fingerboard with lemon oil........... :confused4:

I just cleaned my fingerboard with a 2/3rd's water 1/3rd cloudy ammonia mix, with a toothbrush,  then I put the oil ( In my case Tung Oil ) on the fingerboard. 

+1

Though I wouldn't use ammonia on a guitar. I'd use vinegar. just the regular, clear one, not balsamic

Why is this?

cause balsamic vinegar is too expensive  :toothy10:

but ammonia is imho too agressive, and vinegar is just a sour wine (which it really is). wiki is now offline , so I can't look it really up.

That would be why I watered it down, because I thought it would be too aggressive and might bleach the wood.

 

[dbw]

Ammonia?  That's madness!  Stick with lemon oil/mineral oil.

 

[MUYFUE]

Ammonia?  That's madness!  Stick with lemon oil/mineral oil.

Agreed, I've never gone wrong with a toothbrush, some lemon oil and an old sock...
Yeah, I know how that sounds :glasses10:

having your strings off for a few minutes should be ok.

 

[dbw]

And don't use tung oil on your fretboard either... it will polymerize and after enough repetitions, your fingerboard will have a gloss finish.

 

[BobR55]

I have cleaned my guitars, including the rosewood and tung oiled maple fretboards, with Windex (ammoniated window cleaner) or 409 (house hold surface cleaner spray) with almost every string change for decades now and have noticed no adverse effects. These household spray cleaners are mild and don't damage lacquer, polyurethane or Minwax (polimerized) Tung Oil.

 

[blue313]

Lighter fluid (Naphtha) for cleaning any funk.  It won't hurt anything but will dissolve most bio matter on contact.  Then oil afterwards as needed.

Luthiers have been using the stuff for a while with no ill effects on even delicate lacquer finishes.

 

[Steve_Karl]

I have cleaned my guitars, including the rosewood and tung oiled maple fretboards, with Windex (ammoniated window cleaner) or 409 (house hold surface cleaner spray) with almost every string change for decades now and have noticed no adverse effects. These household spray cleaners are mild and don't damage lacquer, polyurethane or Minwax (polimerized) Tung Oil.

I used a 50/50 mix of Windex and Water and steel wool ... to remove ( the windex turned it to loose easy to remove mush ) the crappy water based finish that was originally sprayed onto my warmoth maple neck. ( of course it wasn't a warmoth finish ... it was done by a local luthier )
so ... I'd be careful with the windex.

 

[chrisg]

Go with a fine steel wool (use masking tape around the body to avoid having to do the entire guitar), then lemon oil on the fretboard.  Use water and car wash (if poly finish), then any of a number of specific guitar polishes on body, before restringing.  :glasses9:

 

[DangerousR6]

If you're going to have the strings off for an extended period of time(like days or weeks) then I'd loosen off the TR just a tad, but for just 15min or an hour, I wouldn't worry about it...

 

[-CB-]

Forget the steel wool.  Just use a coarse rag, or get some old jeans too holey to wear, and cut a bit of the leg material to make a fret cleanin' rag.  Steel wool becomes embedded to some degree - hastening wear.  And its little @#$@#$ bits stick to the pickups and even the strings later on.  I'm past using steel wool for some time now and really dont miss it.

 

[GoDrex]

wow some of you guys must have some serious fret funk. try washing your hands before playing :laughing7:

 

[bbl4ck]

wow some of you guys must have some serious fret funk. try washing your hands before playing :laughing7:

+1 on that  :icon_thumright:
I always wash my hands thoroughly before each time I play and wipe down my strings after I play. 
I have had my black strat for 20 years and it has no grunge built up on the fretboard.  Plus it greatly lengthens the life of strings.