Outdoor Ukulele and sanitizer

Hello,

I just got my wife an Outdoor Ukulele so she doesn't leave her Mainland or Favilla in the car on frozen or steaming hot Minnesota days. She is a hospice chaplain and so visits people in their homes or hospitals, nursing homes, care facilities etc.

She asked me about putting sanitizer on the Outdoor Ukulele. I was not sure if that would make the plastic hazy or not.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Doug

She should be just fine wiping it down with a disinfectant wipe.

I’d use straight isopropyl alcohol, the 91% stuff. Splash some on a paper towel and do a quick wipe down. That will sanitize then simply evaporate leaving no residue, whereas hand sanitizer often has emolients, gels, etc. which may leave a film on it that becomes sticky over time.

Agree that any type of wipe or product is likely to have various components (hydrogen peroxide, glycerin, thickener, quats, chlorhexidene) that you probably don't want as they would gum up the fretboard and strings. If you have rubbing alcohol (isopropanol) the most effective concentration is 70% by volume.

Thanks all for the replies. I have a bottle of isopropyl alcohol 91% in the basement.

Thanks

I have the same question as the OP, but regarding a Blackbird Clara. My service as a music volunteer at the children’s hospital was interrupted by COVID-19. I’m hoping I can start volunteering soon & I’ll be using my Clara. I’m guessing that the answers will be the same as for the Outdoor ukes.

I've contacted Blackbird, and I'll report on what they say.

Bill1 said:

Send an email to Outdoor Ukulele Company. They know what plastic they use and what will damage the plastic and what will clean the plastic.

But if you are too shy to actually ask the people who will have the best answer...

Click to expand...

Not shy but I had sent them an email with no reply. Possibly they are swamped with the virus going on, so I asked here. Little snarky today?

Here is the answer I got from Blackbird.......

"Unfortunately this is a tough one. We definitely do not recommend using soap and water, and the problem with any type of wipe is that there invariably could be a chemical in it that will damage the finish. Really the safest thing I can recommend would be quarantining the instrument. Apparently COVID can live for up to 4-5 days on wood or metal, so the safest option would be to just set the instrument aside for that time period until you feel comfortable. I'm sure this wasn't the answer you were looking for, but it's really the best I can offer right now. "

What I'm thinking it that my Clara would be my dedicated volunteer uke that goes with me to the hospital once a week for 2 hours. It travels in it's case and comes out for use at the hospital. I will only play it in the hospital music room, and it won't go into patient rooms (this is a pediatric hospital, not adult). It goes home with me in it's case, and the case gets wiped/sprayed down with sanitizer before it comes in the house. That was the routine I used with my work bag in the weeks between the Covid-19 start and my last day of work at the hospital before I retired.

I have no idea when volunteers will be allowed back into the hospital, so for now this is just a pre-emptive plan.

Thanks RafterGirl,

I will pass that info on to my wife.

Reply from Scott from Outdoor Ukulele:

"We wipe down our parts with Dawn soap before assembly and 90% isopropyl alcohol before shipping. Both of these are safe to use on the polycarbonate."