cleaning tape residue off a nitro-finished guitar?

[Sir Ricardo]

.

A non-RIC question......if I may.......

I've got a dirty 60s Gibson acoustic guitar

1) it has tape residue on its front

2) in general, it is filthy...in some places more than others....

any simple tips on how to get the adhesive residue off, and on cleaning a nitro guitar in general?

I'm tempted to use naptha, but I'm worried about softening, or otherwise harming, the finish

any thoughts?

all comments welcomed!

thanks in advance -

Richard

[jps]

Naphtha if fine for cleaning all that stuff off, no harm.

[LenMinNJ]

Lemon oil?

[DriftSpace]

Lemon oil?

Actual citrus oil is not such a good thing for the finish, but "lemon oil" -- sold for furniture polish -- actually has very little or no citrus oil in it; it's mostly white mineral oil, which will not adversely affect your finish. (I'm sure Len meant this, but I just wanted to be clear.) Plain white mineral oil is fine, too.

Don't be afraid to let the oil soak into the tape goo for a few minutes. You're basically lubricating the adhesive so that it doesn't stick to the instrument. Use a soft cloth to wipe off the oil/adhesive, and be sure to wipe off as much excess oil as possible. One reason Naphtha is great because all the excess quickly evaporates.

Also: "furniture polish" does not mean certain polishes like Pledge, or those which contain silicates that actually penetrate the wood and can cause finish issues down the road.