How to Remove Rosin From Violin Strings

Even with the most sanitary of handling practices, all instruments require cleaning. In the case of violin strings, the constant contact with rosin-saturated bows means a buildup of shed rosin powder that can interfere with the playing of the instrument and quality of sound. For this reason, both daily and and monthly cleaning practices are required to mitigate this buildup.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Soft, dry cloth
• Rubbing alcohol
• Violin string cleaner

1. Rub your strings regularly with a soft, dry cloth. For removal of everyday buildup of rosin dust, use a dry, lint-free cloth to gently rub down each string one at a time, pinching between your fingers and beneath the cloth. This sort of cleaning should take place every day (or whenever you play your violin if you take it out less often).

2. Dampen a cloth with rubbing alcohol and use this to remove harder buildup of rosin. Make sure that the cloth has just enough rubbing alcohol to be moist, not dripping, and run it over each string a couple of times. Be sure to avoid getting any alcohol on the wood of the violin as this will eventually strip the varnish. This type of cleaning is good about once every month.

3. Clean your strings with a specially-made violin string cleaner, such as Pirastro or Fiddlebrite. These cleaners can be purchased at most music stores where string products are sold and are designed to help condition the strings as well as clean them. Use these in the place of rubbing alcohol if you want a more refined cleaning.

4. Remove tough deposits of rosin buildup by scraping the strings gently with your fingernail or a coin. Any buildup that won't come off with dusting or liquid cleaning can be removed this way, but don't use an instrument with a sharp edge.

References

• Care and Feeding of the Violin Family