Uke Cleaning?

SinisterDom

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So, how do you guys clean your ukuleles? I use GHS Guitar Gloss, but :confused: it doesn't work to well, for me anyway. Also, what do you guys use as a polish cloth? I'm still using the Ukulele World one that they sent me with my first uke. It's needing to be replaced badly lol, any suggestions?
 
You can clean them?!? I just let em get really dirty so I can justify buying a new one...

...kidding

I pretty much just wipe it down with one of those yellow instrument polishing cloths that they sell everywhere (dunno what the brand is) about once a week (well, more realistically it's more like once a month nowdays...haha)...I'll use guitar polish or one of those "wax rags" (whatever they are) once in a while-maybe every third string change or so.

My ukes really don't get "dirty"...with the exception of my "beach ukes"...so I don't really "clean" them...plus I'm assuming that over-cleaning probably has some negative-effect on the finish
 
Well, it wouldn't be such a problem if I didn't have that blue uke on the left. It attracts handprints like CRAZY! But, it's so beautiful, and was fairly cheap :).
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as you may know, my ukulele one of my girl friends... for my left and the spaces in my right hand are filled with my actual girl. But i treat all girlfriends the same no matter what the difference may be. So i give mine a nice bubble bath with lit candles.. ^^
 
Dunlop guitar polish/cleaner for the body, Dunlop lemon oil for the fretboard. Works for my guitars as well... Martin makes similar materials, I believe.
 
The thing I don't like about my GHS polish is I have to use a lot of it. If you look closely on the blue Ohana's bridge. Anyone know how to get rid of it? It's like a white buildup. :confused::eek::eek:
 
i'm embarassed to say i use windex on my guitars because i'm ghetto. somebody set me straight on this. am i do some real damage here? it's worked for me just fine over the years and i have yet to rub a hole into any of them.

by the way, this isn't a recommendation to use windex. just my own experience.
 
I tried to use a windex-like substance, and it left my uke looking like a rainbow. :| Took me forever to get it off.
 
Frank Ford over at frets.com has a pretty detailed 3 page writeup on cleaning a guitar and what to do if it's really grimy, I'm assuming most of it should translate to an uke. I don't know about using lighter fluid though, yikes. Ima gonna use his method for the fretboard on my eleuke as it's a lighter colored maple wood and it really shoes the dirt from my grimy fingers. I'm going to try and clean it this week, I'll report back with my results.

http://frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/GenMaint/Cleaning/cleaning01.html
 
Two of mine have silk screening so the rare times it gets funky, I just use a damp towel.

My Kamaka, I wash my hands BEFORE I play it and leave my 'work' behind.

I know I joked about it earlier but I really do liked the weathered/played to death look.

Pure mojo -

Stevie Ray Vaughn
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Eric Clapton
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Willie Nelson
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I would DIE if my uke looked like that, I like them new and pretty looking :)
 
i dont clean mine haha. if it has some dust, i jusst blow the dust away. my ukesm havent seemed to be getting dirty at all. MAYBE I AM A PRO AT KEEPING THEM CLEAN! haha
 
It does seem to happen to the best instruments doesn't it? The best clarinets (and various brass stuff) I've played looks all dull and ghetto.

No, not my ukes! :(
 
Anal Retentive

I never said I wasn't anal retentive.... But I've always been this way about my instruments...from electric to classical guitars and now, various ukuleles. I mean, wear is okay and cool, but Lordy! How I love to look at shining wood!

Here's what I use. Two products and I've provided the links for both:

For the fretboard: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Finishing_supplies/Finishes_and_solvents/ColorTone_Fretboard_Finishing_Oil.html

For the front, back sides and elsewhere (not metal or bone parts):http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Accessories/Cleaners,_polishes,_lubricants/Preservation_Polish.html

I follow the directions...Excatly!...

There's also an article, somewhere on this site, that instructs how to clean the frets.
 
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