Be sure to keep these cleaning cloths in your violin case so that they’re on hand at all times. You can buy cleaning cloths that are specially made for violin cleaning, such as SHAR or Glaesel, but you can also use what you have, such as flannel. Just be sure you are using a cloth that is soft and non-abrasive.
Using one cloth, wipe the rosin off each individual string, moving up and down each string in a sliding motion. Be sure to wipe off any rosin flakes that might break off during this step. If there is a build-up of rosin on your strings that you cannot wipe off, you can use pure alcohol to remove this. Put a few drops of alcohol on the cloth and rub on the strings, but be careful to ensure that the alcohol does not touch any other part of the violin as alcohol will damage the varnish. [2] X Research source
Just as with the strings, simply take the cleaning cloth to wipe down the bow in the direction that the hairs are running in. Do not go against the grain, just wipe up and down using a light touch. You might consider taking out the screw first before wiping the bow. That way, your cloth will not be touching the hair and wiping the rosin off that.
When wiping the F-holes, take care to ensure the cloth does not get caught in them. The woodwork of F-holes is delicate and can change or ruin the sound of the violin if damaged. [3] X Research source
Try using a Q-tip for those spots that are especially hard to reach.
If your violin is new or in good shape, you may not need to polish it at all. However, if your instrument is dull and hasn’t been polished in a long time (a year or more), you may want to polish it. Check with your luthier (a specialist in string instruments) if you aren’t sure.
Never use violin cleaners or polishes on master instruments or antiques, because the oils they contain could open a crack and make your instrument difficult to restore. [5] X Research source Polishes generally contain some type of oil, which can create fissures in the violin’s wood and damage the instrument in the long run. Therefore, there is some disagreement over whether polishes should be used on violins at all. [6] X Research source
Apply polish to the cloth, not directly on the instrument. Rub out the smudges, dirt, any rosin buildup, using the cloth. Buff on all sides, but be careful around the F-holes to prevent polish buildup. Then take a separate rag to wipe off any excess polish to prevent moisture from entering in and damaging the violin. Avoid the strings and bridge of the violin as you don’t want any polish building up on these parts and affecting the sound of the instrument.
Practice lifting and holding your violin as little as possible until it becomes second nature to not grab and touch your violin all over its body.
This step has the added benefit of preventing dust mites that may eat your violin’s bow hair. [7] X Research source
