In general, there is no need to polish a violin on a regular basis. In fact, some luthiers have indicated that using polish can eventually damage the violin’s varnish because if the varnish is not properly removed, the build-up of polish can attract more dust.
You can maintain the violin by wiping it with a soft microfiber cloth after each use.
If for some reason your violin looks like it needs to be polished, it’s best to take it to a luthier for a deep cleaning first.
If you decide to polish your violin, here are a few tips:
- Don’t use polish on any area that isn’t wood;
- Test the polish on a small area before polishing the entire instrument;
- Use only a very small amount of polish; and
- Only use polish intended for use on violins.
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Can You Use Guitar Polish On Violins
Over time your violin can begin looking dull like it needs to be polished. When that happens, you need to decide if you should polish the violin or not.
Guitar polish can damage a violin’s varnish finish and should never be used on a violin. Guitars have a hard lacquer finish that can withstand the chemicals found in guitar polish. However, violins are finished with a varnish made for violins that help enhance the violin’s sound.
Can You Use Furniture Polish On A Violin
Furniture polish should not be used to polish a violin. Using furniture polish on your violin can damage the varnish on your instrument. The chemicals in oil-based varnishes like those found in furniture polish can ruin your violin’s varnish.
Additionally, furniture polish can build up on the violin, inhibiting the wood’s natural vibration. This, of course, impacts the sound (tone) of the instrument.
It is always advisable that you try cleaning your instrument before you polish it, as cleaning may be enough to restore your violin’s shine.
How Do You French Polish A Violin [Video]
French polishing is a technique that uses mineral oil, linseed oil, or walnut oil, and ethyl alcohol applied in layers to create a glossy shine on the body of the violin. The polish is applied to the violin in small circular motions, using a lint-free cloth.
In general, it’s best to have a luthier apply polish to your violin using the French polish method. You can see the process done by a professional in the video below.
Here are a few tips he offers:
- Clean your violin first
- First, clean the strings.
- Next, clean the neck.
- You should go over the entire instrument, remembering to clean underneath the bridge and fingerboard. It’s best to sit down while cleaning under the fingerboard so you don’t drop your instrument.
- Finally, clean the fine tuners and chin rest.
- You only want to remove the top layers of the violin’s varnish (this is one reason it is recommended that you have a professional French polish your violin).
- If you have ever had cracks in the violin, oil can cause those cracks to open up.
- To protect the instrument’s varnish (and avoid the need for more frequent polishing), clean your instrument after every time you play.
How Often Should I Polish My Violin
How often you will need to polish your violin will depend on how well you care for your violin on a consistent basis. If you clean your violin properly after each practice and performance, avoiding the use of cleaners that will damage the varnish, you should not need to polish it very often. It is suggested by many that you will only need to have your violin polished annually.
What Is A Good Violin Polish
From what I can tell, using polish on your violin is not recommended by most. Oddly enough, many violinists recommend using saliva on a soft cloth to remove rosin from your violin.
However, if you’ve decided that you would prefer to use a polish, choosing a good violin polish will first require you to know what type of varnish is on your violin. Some polishes work better on specific varnishes. For example, it appears that Nikco polish works better on oil varnishes than it does on spirit varnishes.
Other brands that are popular include Hill (on Amazon), Shar, and Super Sensitive.
Wrap Up
Each violin needs to be polished about once a year to remove the effects of playing and prevent damage. Wiping your violin with a soft cloth sometimes is not enough. Since polishing your violin is not something you will have to do often, it is recommended that you enlist the services of a luthier when it is time to have your violin polished.
This post was written to answer often-asked questions about polishing your violin. I hope it was helpful.
