Anybody ever clean nicotine from your guitars successfully?

[Natural Citizen]

I have a daphne blue, a seafoam green and a white stratocaster, all with a good layer of nicotine stains. These are from the days when people smoked in bars, some probably remember how it used to be.

While I'm kind of stick indoors, I'd like to try to clean all of that off, I just don't know what works.

The white one looks especially bad. Actually, it looks like a light banana color, kind of cool, but it's supposed to be white. Not olympic white, though, like a cream color white, it was really nice.

I had read some place about using lighter fluid, but don't wanna use lighter fluid on the finish, I'm not so sure about doing that.

Thanks.

 

[Cellblock2429]

I have a daphne blue, a seafoam green and a white stratocaster, all with a good layer of nicotine stains. These are from the days when people smoked in bars, some probably remember how it used to be.

While I'm kind of stick indoors, I'd like to try to clean all of that off, I just don't know what works.

The white one looks especially bad. Actually, it looks like a light banana color, kind of cool, but it's supposed to be white. Not olympic white, though, like a cream color white, it was really nice.

I had read sem place about using lighter fluid, but donlt wanna use lighter fluid on the finish, I'm not so sure about doing that.

Thanks.

/----/ I do remember. I was a bartender in NY college pubs back in the 1970s.

 

[OldLady]

NC, I got this on a Google search--sounds like you might need to live with it.
Most effective thing to get Nicotine off of Guitar?

 

[Natural Citizen]

NC, I got this on a Google search--sounds like you might need to live with it.
Most effective thing to get Nicotine off of Guitar?

I saw that same thread a while back. So far that seems to be the common conclusion. Thanks for looking it up, though.

 

[Muhammed]

Jimi Hendrix used lighter fluid.

 

[Marion Morrison]

Alcohol cuts the nicotine oil. Not sure what it does to a guitar finish, though. Only been used on car glass interior. Very effective for that.

I'd test a spot on a junk guitar, 1st.

 

[Crixus]

I have a daphne blue, a seafoam green and a white stratocaster, all with a good layer of nicotine stains. These are from the days when people smoked in bars, some probably remember how it used to be.

While I'm kind of stick indoors, I'd like to try to clean all of that off, I just don't know what works.

The white one looks especially bad. Actually, it looks like a light banana color, kind of cool, but it's supposed to be white. Not olympic white, though, like a cream color white, it was really nice.

I had read some place about using lighter fluid, but don't wanna use lighter fluid on the finish, I'm not so sure about doing that.

Thanks.

Not trying to be a know it all, but here is my take. First off, if it’s simply nicotine it should wipe off with nothing more then 409 or windex. You could also try dirtex. Same thing, just a bit more potent. Sherwin Willians should have it. That said, proceed with caution. Lacquer, especially the stuff used on guitars is hard as hell, and will patina with age. Alcohol is pretty strong, stay away from denatured alcohol. This is what I use to soften industrial coatings before I give them the needle gun. So try rubbing alcohol first to see what happens. Go slow to. It sounds like you love your guitars and you will kick your self in the ass if you mess it up. Good luck.

 

[Marion Morrison]

Alcohol works like a dream on smoked-up inside of windshields.

Not sure if might fuck up a guitar finish though. Probably not, but I wouldn't do it to a $5k Gibson unless I knew for sure.

Best guitar I ever had was a Jackson Strat with a Kahler 1. Metal-flake blue paint. Beautiful guitar, probably should have raised the action a tad. I probably could buy it back, but the guitar is better than I am, so what's the point?

I'm more of a "Student Ibanez" kinda guy.

 

[Crixus]

Alcohol works like a dream on smoked-up inside of windshields.

Not sure if might fuck up a guitar finish though. Probably not, but I wouldn't do it to a $5k Gibson unless I knew for sure.

Best guitar I ever had was a Jackson Strat with a Kahler 1. Metal-flake blue paint. Beautiful guitar, probably should have raised the action a tad. I probably could buy it back, but the guitar is better than I am, so what's the point?

I'm more of a "Student Ibanez" kinda guy.

Some folks like the patina. My brother plays, and builds them. He has a white one, that’s about all I know. Anyway, it started out white he says. It’s now a cream color with a slight yellowing on the side that faces out when it’s on the stand. Sun light is tough like that. He loves it. If OP wanted he could give it the smell test. Nicotine reeks.

 

[Marion Morrison]

You know, I have a cousin I could call that I bet would know.

 

[Natural Citizen]

I've discovered something that works effortlessly.

Magic Eraser!

Just cleaned up my white 12 string acoustic this morning.

Looks new again...

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Holy Necro thread Batman!

 

[Natural Citizen]

Holy Necro thread Batman!

I know, right. lol.

But I happened to walk by that one this morning and saw it needed cleaning and I was bored.

And then I remembered I used Magic Eraser for something else a while back and decided to give it a shot.

And, of course, I remembered the thread.

Just passing along useful information, in case somebody in some far off corner of the world ever does a search for how to get it off.

 

[Natural Citizen]

Actually, I looked on the Steve Hoffman forum first, because I'd initially thought I'd asked the question on there instead of on here.