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Case interior cleaning


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Hello!

 

After reading about various techniques on the internet about cleaning of plush surfaces, I've decided to clean up the interior of my Classic Custom's stock hardshell case.

 

It was in nice general condition, but had a greyish spot where the output socket of the guitar touches the lining.

 

Obviously, the easiest thing is to buy some kind of a car upholstery cleaner, but I prefer to find use of more conventional things, that are most likely available at each household. To begin with, I was thinking about using washing powder. That's what I use to clean the headliner of my car. I drop a fistful of powder into a bigger bowl, whip it up until it's completely foamy. I pick up some foam with a sponge and rub the headliner clean. It works perfectly in the car, but I didn't wanted any particles of washing powder to accidentally slip into the case, to later find my guitar's finish scratched. So, I was looking for a liquid cleaner. Bleech wasn't an option, even though it has whitening properties, it's too agressive.

 

My decision fell on the dish washing compound. It's said to be skin friendly, so I assumed it is mild enough for the case lining.

 

This is the mess needed to be cleaned up:

 

HPIM5545_zpsgpuuoxeb.jpg

 

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I laid the case in a way I could reach the spot the most easily:

 

HPIM5553_zpslk1fvaas.jpg

 

I picked up some foam with a typical sponge used for washing dishes:

 

HPIM5563_zpsynwsuqop.jpg

 

The tricky part here is to gently rub the lining with enough force to do the work, but not to remove lints from the lining. Pushing the sponge against the lining softly should be enough, but this dirt was of a stubborn kind. Anyways, if You notice that lints are coming off the lining, stop and continue with less force applied.

 

The plush starts to look like wet dog - not a pretty sight! But, don't worry, until You don't see it coming off, You are not doing any harm.

 

HPIM5570_zps8bi3yret.jpg

 

When You managed to remove the dirt, or You cannot remove any more junk, rinse the sponge. Dampen it with warm water, and pushing it against the lining remove deposits of the detergent. It's done when You don't see white deposits anymore on the sponge, like this:

 

HPIM5571_zpscse1bdyx.jpg

 

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When deposits of the detergent were removed entirely, I used a hairdryer, to finish off the cleaning process.

 

HPIM5564_zpse81fviqz.jpg

 

The one I was using, has a heater override function. By pressing and holding a button, it will only blow air without heating it up. What I did, is to blow warm air for 10 seconds, - from around 4 inches of distance at the spot -, then blowing cold air on it. I also gently rubbed my fingers around the spot, to brush the lints of the lining back to their original direction.

 

This is how it ended up. Not perfect, but definitely much better than it was. The greyish spot (kind of oily, metallic deposit from the output jack) didn't disappear entirely, but the lining looks really good compared to how it did before.

 

HPIM5574_zpst1hpibei.jpg

 

I left the case open for two days, just to be safe before putting the guitar back.

 

Cheers... Bence

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Thank You, Ray!

 

One more thing worth mentioning.

 

The Gibson case is stuffed with polyurethane(?) foam, under the plush lining. It behaves like a memory foam. Once You punch it with a finger, it stays like that for a long while.

 

So, be careful!

 

And do no overheat the liner with the hairdryer. The glue might melt, and become sticky!

 

Cheers... Bence

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Hello!

 

A quick update.

 

The cleaning method described above seems to be perfectly safe. After the guitar seating in the case for more than a week, I see no signs of chemical reactions between the lining, and the nitro-cellulose finish.

 

Cheers... Bence

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Hello!

 

The case below belongs to my Studio 50s Tribute. For some reason it stinks really bad! Probably it's nicotine, but I am not completely sure. Anyways, it's a good candidate for trying out the effectiveness of baking soda. My dad keeps some in the fridge, to keep away unwanted odors. According to my sister, it also works for shoes.

 

So, I have poured around 25 grams of baking soda on a plate, and put it into the case:

 

HPIM5585_zpsqyfmineu.jpg

 

I will keep it there for a week, and come back with the results.

 

Cheers... Bence

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That should work Bence, sunlight will help too.

 

 

This did bring back a memory that I'd almost forgotten about. Back in 89, I came across a 1978 Yari D74 Snowflake (Still have it today, fantastic acoustic) The previous owner was a chain smoker, the guitar AND the case smelled like tobacco smoke to a degree I've yet to see even to this day.

 

It was awful. I mean, you'd open the case, and the house smelled like a huge ashtray in about 5 minutes.... that stale, lingering smoke smell thick enough to cut with a knife.. Ironically my wife and I smoked at the time, but this was SO BAD that we both couldn't stand it.

 

I wound up using Vanilla scented air freshener trees (the sort you put in a car that reeks!) When one would run out, I'd replace it. Eventually, I got that smell out of both case and guitar, but it took a long time. well over a year.. it really was horrendous.

 

The case is long gone (an old SKB molded case) but the guitar remains in my collection, I'll never sell it.

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Hello Ray!

 

I am curious about the outcome. I am a smoker. I do smoke a lot. Still, most of my cases are OK, except for this one. It's not even the most played guitar by far.

 

It's a very cheap Warwick case too. On the longer run, I will replace it with a brown Gibson one, If I can spot one.

 

Anyways, it might be something else than nicotine - who knows? The most played Classic Custom's case smells like new. That well-known vanilla scent of new Gibsons...

 

Also, the Recording's old Gibson case smells a bit strange. Even the guitar. It smells like old wood from the attic. Probably, collectors would admire it, as patina of a vintage instrument. :D Not me, though. But, it's not that disturbing.

 

Cheers... Bence

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...

Baking soda does not remove stubborn odors. Not that way, at least.

...

Silica gel and activated charcoal do. Remember they both are strong drying agents.

 

If you use dry Na2CO3 (not Na2CO3 * 10 H2O, looking and feeling dry below circa 35°C as well) instead of NaHCO3 which is baking soda, it would probably work, including the drying effect, of course. Keep temperature below 35°C since the hydrated salt will "melt" (in fact, dissolve) in its crystallisation water which will be released due to warming. This would possibly cause a bad mess in the guitar case.

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Hello Capmaster!

 

I have been using 99% NaHCO3 (E500). So it's not OK?

 

Na2CO3 is washing soda. That would be better than baking soda?

 

Cheers... Bence

Baking soda is pretty indifferent in any room temperature and humidity conditions. When about "washing soda", there are four compounds with different water content. You might refer to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_carbonate in the right column under "Properties". Heptahydrate and decahydrate are useless and should be dried.

 

Best will be use of either silica gel or activated charcoal. Silica gel is the stuff in the dryer bags coming with next to any good shipped in its original packaging. It is also regenerative through controlled heat in a baking oven. That stuff is good for dozens times of use without remarkable deterioration. The effect will be slowed down gradually, and after some hundred times of use the inner surface will be diminished beyond usefulness.

 

Please refer to this for lots of useful informations on silica gel: http://www.drierite.com/

 

I guess you know these... I was baffled to find them containing calcium sulfate... Interestingly, they worked for me: https://secure.drierite.com/catalog3/page16.cfm

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Thank You, Capmaster!

 

Good thougth! I have a palm-sized one in each of my recently-made Gibson cases - and those have no odor issues.

 

Definitely a good idea to get these for the rest of the hardcases too. [thumbup]

 

Cheers... Bence

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  • 4 weeks later...
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Hello!

 

As far as the backing soda trick is concerned: no, it didn't.

 

Cheers... Bence

 

I thought it would. Thats a pity.

 

What about Febreze (the fabric odor eliminator type)?

 

It works on carpets, upholstry, curtains etc. It even worked on the seat of my sports car after spilling stew all over it. It took a couple of treatments and about 4 days but it worked.

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Hello!

 

I would like to know the ingredients of the formula before I spray the hardcase with it. Some materials are not friendly to nitro-cellulose finish of the guitar.

 

Cheers... Bence

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