Hand Washing Before Playing Guitar Question.....

[Busker]

NOW before I start let me begin by saying (what most of you already know) that I'm very neurotic and pretty O.C.D!!!

I have a big hand washing thing that is WAY outta control, BUT I've always wonder'd if other people were like this with there guitars. Do you wash your hands EVERYTIME before you play guitar?? I could've JUST got out of the shower 10 minutes ago, BUT before I'll start to play I GOTTA WASH MY HANDS. Most of this is my O.C.D, but some of the blame belongs to my old guitar instructor. He told me to ALWAYS make sure I had clean hands before I started playing and he gave me a BIG line of B.S about how it's better for your guitar. I know it's GOTTA be better for your strings, but I don't see how it benefits the guitar at all.

So I figured this would be the perfect place to ask this question, because I know most of you TREASURE your guitars the same way I do.

hopefully I'm not alone in this one....

[dodge]

unusual question :GRN> but i don't wash my hands unless they feel dirty or sticky before playing. Also i don't play for 10 mins or so after i have washed them because it makes your skin soft. Supposedly the oil from your skin keeps the fretboard lubed, so if you wash the oil off your skin before you play maybe it's not such a good idea.

[dcarey]

I always wash my hands about ten minutes before playing. Just ti get rid of any sweat or oils.
I'm blessed with string-killing acid sweat...

Dan

[ducktrapper]

Yes and I prefer others do the same. Nothing worse than having someone slime your guitar. 

[Steve]

I'll wash my hands if they are dirty or I just had a donut.  Sometimes I just play without washing.

I do wipe my strings , neck and some of the contact points on the guitar body off with a dry polish clothe after everyuse.

[fitness1]

I always wash my hands about ten minutes before playing. Just ti get rid of any sweat or oils.
I'm blessed with string-killing acid sweat...

Dan

ditto here.....

[Ratishna]

I don't necessarily wash my hands before playining.  But if you're like me, your hands are usually clean anyway.

E. Shoaf

[unclrob]

So playing in the mud with my son before playing isn't a good thing. :GRN>

[Randy_R]

I think that french fries grease helps with slides up and down the the strings...   :GRN>

[Hoser Rob]

I almost always do, for 2 reasons.

First, it really makes your strings last a lot longer.

Second, it helps limber up the fingers.

[roknroll]

Funny you bring this up...my friend ALWAYS makes me wash my hands before I play his custom yamaha acoustic...probably not a bad idea though lol

[Busker]

OHHH YEAH RokNRoll, ANYONE wants to play my guitar you better get in there and SCRUB those hands like your going into Surgery... :GRN>


I think a little bit of my MANIA is also because I think of my guitar as a women and I wouldn't put dirty hands on my Lady, so obviously I ain't gonna finger on this girl with dirty fingers... :WNK>

[jimmyd]

Wear rubber gloves.

[drathbun]

Anything that keeps you from picking up your guitar to play is BAD. If you want to extend your string life, by all means, wash your hands religiously before playing. I keep my guitar on a stand right next to my computer desk in my studio. I can reach out and grab it any time... and do... often!

[om4me]

Hiya Busker.  Although you may be joking, excessive hand-washing is no laughing matter and should be treated seriously.   In addition to wasting water, as others have mentioned, excessive washing dries out the skin and alters the pH balance for the worse.   You can never completely rid the body of surface contaminants and bacteria.  In fact, a bit of bacteria is necessary to prepare the body's immune system to ward off infection.  I'm not saying not to wash your hands after you take a dump;  that's just plain stupid for obvious reasons.  What I'm trying to convey is that you should wash your hands only when necessary such as after using the washroom, before meals, or when the hands show visible debris, feel dirty, gritty, sticky, or slimy.

Are you a person that uses anti-bacterial soap as well?  Most excessive hand-washers do.  That's a big no no.  The active ingredient triclosan in the majority of these soaps are devastating to the environment as well as being possibly detrimental to one's health.  Triclosan reacts with the cholorine in water to create chloroform, a known carcinogen, albeit in low levels that may or may not be harmful.  But why take the risk?  Anti-bacterial soap costs more, is bad for the environment, and possibly may have ill health effects.  Most importantly, studies have shown conclusively that the triclosan in anti-bacterial soap has no effect in killing additional bacteria compared to normal soap unless it's been in contact with the skin for several minutes.  I don't know of anyone who leaves soap on the skin for several minutes for the purpose of disinfecting the skin.

Why bother being paranoid about washing your hands 20-30 times a day, after your shower, and before each and every guitar play?  I can understand your concern with keeping your guitar in pristine condition, but there's bound to be the odd scratches, dents, and dings that are just normal events in the ownership of a guitar that is loved and played.  Think of any blemish as a battle scar.  Just my opinion, so please don't crucify me.   ^_^

[Busker]

I have Obsesive Compulsive Disorder.......

I can't help it. I wasn't joking, I was just asking if anybody else washed there hands before playing.

[expatCanuck]

If the hands feel the least bit sticky, I wash.
If not, I don't.
But I sure don't wait 10 minutes after washing.
And I don't worry about the strings unduly, 'cause I'm one of those sick folk who prefer deader strings.

- Richard

Larrivee L-09
Gagnon Composer archtop (with custom soundport)
Alastair Miller OM

[l31itz]

I have OCD too and I constantly wash my hands during the day. When it comes to playing my guitar, I wash before and after. You can still smell the metal on your fingers after you play, even though you wash before. It does make you strings last longer. I think this is just proper care of an expensive instrument and definitely good for the guitar and sound.

My friends make fun of me for doing this and they always beg me to play my guitar. However, if they can't respect my instrument to the same degree that I do then they can cry all they want.

[Jackwr]

unusual question :GRN> but i don't wash my hands unless they feel dirty or sticky before playing. Also i don't play for 10 mins or so after i have washed them because it makes your skin soft. Supposedly the oil from your skin keeps the fretboard lubed, so if you wash the oil off your skin before you play maybe it's not such a good idea.

+1

[Walkerman]

I do wash my hands, but if I am wearing long sleeves, I make sure to roll them up, because having a wet sleeve up against your git for awhile can do some damage.