How do you stop gunk from building up on guitar strings?

Question

On a steel-string acoustic guitar, how do you prevent gunk from building up on the strings? Every time I play, the strings, particularly the B and E strings, will literally (okay maybe not literally) slice the skin off my (left-hand) fingers, and in a matter of days the strings (again mostly the B and E strings) will be full of gunk, making the strings not vibrate as much and overall sound quite dull. I know it's not rust because I have rust on my electric guitar strings, and it doesn't come off as easily.

It is quite hard to clean all of it, as a lot, though not most, is on the lower frets, so the only option is to clean it with a rag or something similar. That doesn't manage to get all of it, however, and the strings still sound dull compared to when first put on.

I've tried many strings, from extra-light to medium, same result. Perhaps it's the texture? The only ones I haven't tried are Elixir's and similar coated strings. I play nylon-strung guitar quite frequently and have had none of these problems, though I suppose you would assume so considering it has half the tension.

I'd rather not have to clean the gunk. I know people who don't have this problem, so I would hope there's a solution to prevent this altogether.

Answer 1

How do you stop gunk from building up on guitar strings?

1. Wash your hands before you play. If you sweat a lot, keep a clean towel handy for periodically drying your hands and wiping down strings between songs/exercises.

2. Allow your hands to dry out completely before you play. Do not play when your hands have been soaked, such as right after bathing, washing dishes, etc. Your soaked skin will be soft and more prone to injury and sloughing off onto your strings, plus the moisture could promote oxidation.

3. Wipe down strings and fretboard after you play. You can access the fretboard and underside of strings by slipping a soft, clean cloth (microfiber works great) between them at the guitar body, then sliding up the neck. Be gentle: snug is okay, but don’t cram it in there.

4. Periodically clean and condition your fretboard. This will remove collected gunk that could transfer to your strings, as well as keep the fretboard wood from drying out and becoming more susceptible to wear and collection of that gunk.

Answer 2

I have not experienced the issue you have as seriously as you describe. But there are a couple things to keep in mind.

(1) You should have clean hands when you play. Wash them a few minutes before playing.

(2) If you start getting sweaty or oily as you play, stop and wash again.

(3) Don't put hand lotion on before playing. This may not be "gunk" or "dirty" but it can damage the finish of the guitar and will ultimately cause some gunk build up.

(4) Wipe you guitar down after you play, with a soft towel, rag, old flannel anything really.

(5) If you find that you need to wash more than once during a practice session then you need to wipe down your guitar multiple times as well.

(6) If the build up is severe over time change the strings. I could go years without breaking one but they should be changed more frequently.

I have nothing to say about the gunk causing your skin to get sliced. Are you taking long breaks between practicing? I'd think that you would have some callus.

If you have gunk build up on the frets then you haven't been keeping the ax clean. It happens and that's life. We need to take care of our equipment. Just like putting gas or oil in a car, you need to clean the guitar. The only choice you have is to take the strings off and thoroughly clean the frets and restring. You could find a tech at a music store or a luthier who can do it for $$. Then be more vigilant about cleaning after and the problem may not come back.

Answer 3

Shidouuu,

There is no avoiding cleaning the strings.

If you posted a question to an automotive advice forum such as "My windshield is covered in dead bugs, how do stop bugs from accumulating on my windshield?," you would get two flavors of responses;

1. Stop driving or,
2. Clean the windshield, often

I recommend you keep a soft terrycloth nearby to where you practice, and a spritz can of Finger-Ease. Finger-Ease is a product designed to be wiped onto the strings after you play, and it removes salt, sweat, and all manners of problems. And it will extend the life of your strings.

If you can't find that product, a little application of an automotive spray shine won't hurt one bit.

Answer 4

Years ago I read an article about cleaning strings that advise using a Blitz cloth after each performance before putting the instrument in its case. A Blitz cloth is used by soldiers to clean their brass but it works very well on guitar strings also. You can find them in military surplus stores or online. When cleaning strings, loosen them enough to be able to lift them out out their nut slot and bridge slot and wipe the slots down too. Then take an old cotton rag ( and old T-shirt works well) and wipe the fretboard between the strings while they are still slack to remove sweat and grim from the fingerboard. I read this and now use it to keep my instrument clean and sounding nice.