How to Keep a Guitar Bridge From Rusting

Sweat drips from your arm into the bridge when you play the guitar.

A guitar needs routine cleaning and maintenance. The metal parts of the guitar, such as the bridge, tuners and knobs, are naturally prone to rust and oxidation. Moisture and exposure to the natural elements are the sources of rust. Each time you play your guitar, your sweat, fingerprints and other sources of dirt and grime build up on the guitar. The bridge is particularly susceptible because your arm hovers over it the whole time you are playing the guitar. Always wipe the guitar and strings down with a clean cloth after playing it. However, the bridge needs a thorough cleaning from time to time to prevent rust and oxidation.

Things You'll Need

• Wire clippers
• Blue painter's tape
• Cloths
• Steel wool
• Water-displacing lubricant
• Pipe cleaner
• Cotton swabs

Instructions

1. Turn the tuners on the guitar's headstock to loosen the strings. Pull the strings out of the tuning posts, and clip off the curled up end that was wrapped around the tuning posts with wire clippers. Remove the strings from the guitar.

2. Protect the guitar finish and pickups with a cloth or tape. If the bridge is excessively dirty, remove the bridge from the guitar. It is not necessary to remove the bridge to clean it but it is important to protect the surrounding areas of the guitar so that they are not damaged during the cleaning process. Cover the pickups with blue painter's tape so dirt and dust don't penetrate them. Place a soft cloth around the bridge to protect the guitar finish during the cleaning process.

3. Clean dirt, debris and grime from the bridge plate with a damp cloth. The guitar bridge comprises two parts -- the base and the bridge saddles; thoroughly clean both parts so that oxidation and rust don't build up. Clean any visible traces of dirt and grime with a damp cloth. Fine-grit steel wool works well on chrome-plated bridges to remove more-stubborn dirt and grime.

4. Spray the bridge plate and saddles with water-displacing lubricant. Scrub all the nooks and crannies of the bridge plate and saddles with cotton swabs or a pipe cleaner. Fine-grit steel wool works well on chrome-plated bridges. The steel wool removes the stubborn bits of grime without scratching the chrome. Continue cleaning the bridge and saddles until all traces of dirt and grime are gone.

5. Wipe the bridge and saddles with a clean damp cloth. Remove the blue tape from the pickups. Allow the to completely dry before putting the guitar into the guitar case.

References

• Audiozone.dk: Floy Rose Setup and Maintenance
• Gibson; Rag-Time: How to Clean Your Guitar for a Better Tone; Ellen Barnes; January 2011