Okay… I think I’m an idiot.

[Marko5657]

I purchased these Clorox wipes for home use, and thought they were milder than the are. I could read that they didn’t contain any bleach, and ASSumed they were more like hand sanitizers or something, and didn’t bother to put my reading glasses on to really read everything.

Here are the ingredients…

Clorox.com | Ingredients and Safety - Clorox Disinfecting Wipes

A canister ended up in the music room, and I started using them to wipe my bass and strings, even bringing a canister to the gigs.

I’ve been gigging an Ibanez ATK305, still with the original Elixir strings, and a Jazz V with fresh DR nickel Lowriders.

Well, the Jazz sounds like crap now; I think I might have killed the strings. The ATK, maybe because the Elixirs are coated still sounds okay.

What do y’all think?

[knucklehead G]

Be happy its just the strings and don't do it again. Much better a $15-40 mistake than a refin on two basses.

[Floyd Eye]

Why would you disinfect your bass? I'd say you got lucky that just the strings are toast. Get new strings and a $6 stick of Fast Fret.

[Marko5657]

Just trying to keep everything clean.

My sound guy always buys more greezy bar food than he can finish, leaves the rest to me, and I end up with greezy fingers.

I’ve got a few sets of new strings, so I’ll just replace the DRs and not make that mistake again.

I have Fast Fret for guitars, but don’t use it anymore on the bass… there’s a certain grippy feel I like, and Fast Fret kinda screws that up.

I’ll maybe get some alcohol wipes.

[jmain]

Soap and water on your hands or if you have to, the hand wipes. As you know now, your strings don't like the Clorox, but neither does your skin or eyes - especially repeatedly every day.

For sweat, just use an old t-shirt or a polishing type cloth (with nothing on it).

[EricssonB]

I think you might be right.

[BassMan4Him]

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

Why would you disinfect your bass? I'd say you got lucky that just the strings are toast. Get new strings and a $6 stick of Fast Fret.

+1 to the fast fret.. Love that stuff

[mmbongo]

Notice there is a warning on those wipes that says to IMMEDIATELY wash your hands after touching them. There's a reason for that

[Pilgrim]

The moral of the story: DO NOT use random chemicals to clean a musical instrument, especially an electric one.

[Billnc]

Originally Posted by mmbongo

Notice there is a warning on those wipes that says to IMMEDIATELY wash your hands after touching them. There's a reason for that

I don't buy things and touch them with those type warnings.