Guitar strings are basically the disposable components of your guitar. Strike them too hard and they may break. Leave it dirty after playing with sweaty hands and you’ll be needing at new strings soon.

Steel guitar strings deteriorate basically because they’re made of steel. Acid, oil, sweat and gunk from your hands would cause the strings or its coating to oxidize and rust. Those are compounded by natural factors like compounded by humidity. When strings deteriorate, you’d lose out on precious tone and face the risk of breakage anytime. Rusty strings could also cut through your fretwires. Having your guitar re-fretted is an expensive repair work.

So here are some tips on taking care of your guitar strings, hopefully extend its life:

  • Wipe your strings with a clean dry cloth after each time you play. Yup, wipe every string including its underside. That’s where the gunk usually sticks.
  • Stick a little bag of dessiccant on your strings while in storage to keep moisture out.
  • Some might recommend using WD-40 to clean your guitar strings. Some may recommend a product called Fastfret. I’ve used WD-40 daily and it seemed to extend my string life.

Don’t expect your strings to last a year. Here’s a quick guide to how often you should change your strings even with all the cleaning and maintenance you’re doing.

Frequency of use

Change
your strings every:

2 hours every
day

2 to 3 weeks

30 minutes to 1
hour a day

1 month to 6
weeks

30 minutes to 1 hour 3 to 5
times a week

6 weeks to 2 months

almost never or never

2 to 3 months

Source for table: AccessRock

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