6 ways to care for your guitar

Just because you call it your axe doesn't mean you can treat your guitar like one. And whether it's a guitar or a violin, treat your stringed instrument right and it will only sound better and better.

• Don't forget to wipe down the neck and body of a guitar or any other stringed instrument with a soft, dry cloth, flannel or towel after each time you play it.
• A few rubs is all it takes to remove sweat and oils that build up on the fret board and shorten the life of the strings, as well as fingerprints that can mar the finish of your instrument.
• Regular, fast cleanups are far more beneficial for your instrument than a once-a-year, top-to-bottom polishing.

• Most guitar fret boards are made of unfinished wood and need to be conditioned every six months or so.
• Take off the strings and gently clean the fingerboard and frets with 0000 ultrafine steel wool.
• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to sweep off the dust and steel wool filings left after cleaning.
• Finish the job by applying a small amount of mineral, lemon or almond oil on a clean cloth along the length of the fingerboard and polishing with a soft, dry cloth.

• When it's time to polish your guitar, don't automatically reach for the furniture polish — many contain oils that can build up on a guitar's finish and make it dull over time.
• The best procedure for polishing varies from model to model; consult the guitar's manufacturer or an experienced guitar technician in your area about the best cleaning procedure for your guitar.

• How often you change the strings on your guitar is largely a matter of personal preference, although a fresh set of strings will always sound great.
• Generally speaking, the time to change guitar strings is when they start to lose tonal quality. That should be at least twice a year if you play your guitar regularly.
• When changing strings, you can maintain your guitar's setup by changing one string at a time, but you'll need to remove all your strings if you want to clean the fret board.

• If you don't plan to play your guitar or other stringed instrument for a few months or more, loosen or remove the strings before packing it up.
• This will keep the body, bridge and neck from warping or breaking from the constant tension of the strings.

• While you're changing strings of your acoustic guitar or other stringed instrument, don't forget to clean the dust out of the instrument's body.
• Simply pour about 125 grams (1/2 cup) of uncooked rice into the sound hole, give it a few shakes, then dump out the rice (and the dust).