Cleaning a mouldy Acoustic

Vintage-T · October 2023

I have a Martin 000 which I rarely play as I'm 99% electrics, it's just about for rare noodles and the very occasional acoustic gig I get roped into.

I've always had an issue of mould developing on the headstock and back of the neck, I've generally just wiped it off and carried on, but it stinks a bit and makes me want to play it even less. So I've decided to try and tackle the issue.

I've had a search but can't find this topic tackled on TFB, and most other internet searches bring up USA posts where the suggested remedies might not be available this side of the pond.

So what can I do to permanently remove the mould....guessing scrapping or relining the case might be worthwhile too?

ICBM · October 2023

The first thing to do is leave it out of the case for long enough to tell if the mould comes back - ie is it something to do with the guitar, or the case.

Vintage-T · October 2023

It's out of the case with the mould brushed off. Was thinking of putting a UV light on it for a few days too.

Fingers657 · October 2023

Get some bathroom mould cleaning spray .
Do you have a mould problem with any other guitars?

Vintage-T · October 2023

Fingers657 said:

Get some bathroom mould cleaning spray .
Do you have a mould problem with any other guitars?

nope just this one, I don't know if a bleach based spray would damage the finish/wood?

BillDL · October 2023

My first thought would be whether somebody has "polished" the guitar with some sort of organic (vegetable type) oil or wax that is putrefying and encouraging mould growth.

Vintage-T · October 2023

I've owned it for about 7 years, it's only had the usual guitar stuff on it when I've cleaned it in the past. Granted, it's not had the most amount of attention. Couldn't say for before as I bought it second hand through a local shop.

BillDL · October 2023

In that case my suspicion is highly unlikely. You would have noticed long ago had a previous owner used something "wrong" to polish it.

ToneControl · October 2023

Vintage-T said:

Fingers657 said:

Get some bathroom mould cleaning spray .
Do you have a mould problem with any other guitars?

nope just this one, I don't know if a bleach based spray would damage the finish/wood?

I would not use bleach

use an alcohol-based wood cleaner, or IPA (Iso Propyl alcohol), then condition the wood, possibly with guitarist's lemon oil

ToneControl · October 2023

is it a cold or damp room?
is it possible that water is condensing onto it?

Vintage-T · October 2023

it's in a totally dry storage area now, it was under the sofa for a bit, which got a bit damp even though the room is dry, I guess it got condensation, but it's not been there for about a year, I cleaned it thoroughly before a gig in May, and the mould is back now. So I'm thinking it's defo present in the case, but what I cleaned it with last time didn't work too well.

The biggest put off is the smell of my hands after playing, so I'd like to fix it all in one go. Maybe junk the case and get another too.

Tannin · October 2023

The trouble with mould is that you want to get the object really, really dry - and you don't want to do that with a wooden guitar. Tricky one!

But I agree with you @Vintage-T - I would start by getting rid of the case.

Soupman · October 2023

If the mould is on the outside it's a knocking bet it's on the inside too. Don't know how you'd tackle that with the limited access.
I just know it's a b*gger to get rid of from anything, and has a tendency to re-occur.

Vintage-T · October 2023

my main concern for now is what cleaning solution is safe to use? I've removed the guitar from the case and will give the case a good spray and airing for a few months before even considering using again.

BigPaulie · October 2023

The mould spores will be on/in the guitar and in the case too.

Don't put the guitar back in the case.

If you're not worried about losing the case, bin it. If you want to keep the case I recommend spraying the case liberally with white vinegar until the lining is pretty well saturated then leaving in to dry in a well aired dry environment. Then when the case is THOROUGHLY dry put LOTS of silica gel or a couple of kilos of table salt in the empty case and seal it for at least a few weeks.

Try an area of the guitar for sensitivity to white vinegar. If the finish doesn't react dab the affected area liberally with white vinegar and allow it to dry properly. Repeat this as often as your dare. You really need to get those spores dealt with.

Keep the guitar and case apart until you're sure they are both free from mould spores. And when you put the guitar back in the case make sure it's not too damp: a humidifier or humidipak will help.

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Cleaning a mouldy Acoustic

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