The Complete Handbook of String Instrument Care & Cleaning

Chapter 1: Understanding String Instrument Care & Cleaning

String instrument care is not a single task performed once in a while. It is a continuous, systematic process of protecting a complex, organic object from its primary enemies: the accumulation of rosin dust and sweat, and fluctuations in its surrounding environment. The instrument is not inert; it is a highly responsive system of wood, a sensitive varnish, and precisely fitted components that are constantly reacting to the world around them. When a musician plays, they deposit a minuscule layer of rosin dust and body salts onto the varnish. When the instrument is not being played, it is absorbing and releasing moisture from the air, its wooden body swelling and contracting in response. These two facts, more than any major accident, are what drive the majority of an instrument's long-term degradation. Understanding this is the foundation of all effective care.

The most common and destructive residue is rosin. Violin rosin is a hard, brittle substance that is powdered and spread onto the bow hair. As the bow is drawn across the string, that powder creates friction and enables the string to vibrate. However, a significant amount of that powder does not stay on the string; it becomes airborne or is wiped off the strings by the left hand during playing. This rosin dust is sticky and acidic, and it settles on every exposed surface of the instrument, but most noticeably on the top plate (the belly of the instrument directly under the