Alternatives to denatured alcohol for string cleaning (not boiling)

[wiscoaster]

Electronic contact cleaner sprayed on a rag should clean well and evaporate fast with no residue. That being said, I just use regular isopropyl alcohol and wipe multiple times until the rag comes away clean.

 

[GTHintz]

I got this tip from builder Carl Thompson way back - I'm really surprised I've never seen this method posted in these kinds of threads.

I've used pure lemon oil for 30+ years to successfully freshen up strings.

1] Loosen the strings one at a time
2] Wipe down the string length with a cloth saturated with some lemon oil on it
3] Wipe down string again with clean cloth this time, to remove any excess oil and grime.
4] Retune string, before moving on to the next string - and repeat 1 thru 4.

I've done this many times to the same string set - it really freshens and stretches the life of strings, with none of the down sides from boiling or using chemicals.

Ok this sounds interesting. I'll try it just because of Carl. He's a madman but I wouldn't doubt him. Dude's forgotten more about instruments than I'll ever know.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

+1 on Fast Fret. Noticeable difference after using it. Although I use it often and it takes about 1-2 minutes of your time. Great product! Highly recommended.

 

[superheavyfunk]

Ah, now I understand the problem with isopropyl.
I use denatured as a soak (inside a length of PVC).
Seems like Everclear is the front runner.

You should be able to purchase 99% isopropyl alcohol at your local drugstore. I’ve used that and had no bad effects

 

[GIBrat51]

All alcohols contain water. Lab grade 200 proof (100%) ethyl alcohol will drop to 198 proof (99%) as soon as you open the container in air as it absorbs moisure. Other alcohols act the same. I use 80% or better isopropyl and make sure the strings are dry after treating.

Exactly so. I've used it in a lab, myself; a truly 100% royal PITA... If you can afford it? Yeah, Everclear works just fine. So would straight Vodka, I'd imagine. Other things that will work? Brake cleaner (which will probably need to be cleaned off the strings with alcohol, just to be safe). I can guarantee that 1,1,1 Trichlorothane will work; that's what I use to clean the polishing/finishing compound (which I'm allergic to) off any D'Addario strings that I think are worth the trouble - and health risk. We used it a lot in pavement testing labs (it dissolves asphalt like Nobody's business), so, although I don't like to, I'm used to using it safely. But, it's pretty nasty stuff; I have to soak/scrub the strings with alcohol afterwards, to get the stuff off/out of the strings. Nothing else I've tried - that's not even more dangerous to use - will get that finishing stuff off the strings; which, as you can imagine, is the reason I hardly ever use D'Addario strings...

 

[LetItGrowTone]

[Little story: I once used trichloroethane or methyl ethyl ketone or something like that carelessly to clean something at work, and after I finished I tasted in my mouth guess what? Liver. Forty years ago and didn't kill me, but it might yet someday. Please be careful kids.]

 

[monti2889]

Tone Fingerease Guitar String Lubricant 2 Pack https://a.co/d/j8qmGkO
Basically naptha and Teflon...or something like that. It can be used to lubricate nut slots and bridge saddles too.

 

[okcrum]

I can guarantee that 1,1,1 Trichlorothane will work

There was a time when gasoline, acetone, and carbon tetrachloride would have preceded it as answers!

 

[lark_z]

(Almost) any alcohol will have similar solvency to that of the denatured alcohol (which is ethanol made toxic "denatured" by the addition of something else - typically isopropanol or methanol).

I just looked at a home depot in Santa Cruz county. They have gallons of acetone. Acetone (2-propanone) is widely considered to be a universal solvent and works well on both polar and non-polar items. It's very fast drying. It does smell and it is flammable.

Check the auto parts stores for Brakleen. The old formula (Red) is the good stuff (chlorinated), the new stuff (Green) is a mixture of less environmentally damaging solvents.

 

[James Collins]

This thread is a bit fun with the English language.

Being denatured doesn't make alcohol a better solvent as far as I know.

 

[Rick_Bass]

Use anything you want but the stuff you're not allowed to use. It all works. Water is an amazing chemical that will remove all the gunk with a cost of ZERO

Water and an oven -- we had this discussion a year or so ago and I broke down the cost of boiling string with electricity

 

[J_Bass]

Once again,

Ethyl ether.

 

[Lobster11]

Flatwound strings. Replace them every 10 years or so. Problem solved.

 

[-Stingray]

Acetone will remove greasy stuff better than alcohol. Use gloves and don't breath a lot of the fumes to be safe.

While this is most certainly true, having worked with Acetone daily for four years (in the military) I will tell you that a simple splash on any finished surface (including your bass) will eat through the finish in under 3 seconds. I would be very VERY careful using acetone around any of your possessions.

I would try any kind of alcohol (including vodka) before acetone.

Better yet, play flats. String once, play forever.

 

[perfektspace6]

OP, is it the way the strings feel once broken in, environmental concerns, cost etc. that influence you to clean the strings? Not being a smart A. Just curious.

 

[BassikBrad]

WD40 or Lemon oil, or even Black Magic protectant, anti corrosive, a little dab will do ya, strings last forever.
Ferrous metals love lubrication.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

For a long time I used 3-1 oil. Strings lasted a long time

 

[MultiScaleMale]

When I cleaned strings instead. of replacing them I just boiled them. Water is almost free and non-toxic to touch and get rid of so those attributes outweighed any negatives. Never had a string corrode. There is moisture in the air which can do that if you're really worried. I just think boiling is the obvious answer and not sure why is eliminated at the start. But whatever works for you.

 

[zon6c-f]

How bout’ a new set?

No paying gigs… no new strings …

 

[ardgedee]

Being denatured doesn't make alcohol a better solvent as far as I know.

The point to denaturing alcohol is that by making it unfit for human consumption it doesn't get have to be regulated and handled in the same way drinkable alcohol is. It can be sold for cheap over the counter without special licensing.

Long ago I had a friend who was part of a research group for which team members had to take turns driving to a neighboring state to get Everclear as a cleaning solution, because the contaminant in denatured alcohol would damage the particular lab equipment they used.