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The Best Guitar Cleaning Kit

Last updated on August 6, 2023

We looked at the top 4 Guitar Cleaning Kits and dug through the reviews from 9 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best Guitar Cleaning Kits.

Best Guitar Cleaning Kit

Our Review Process

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Whether you’re a professional musician, just learning to play or somewhere in between, cleaning and maintaining your instrument is essential. If your instrument of choice is a guitar, you’re dealing with wood, which requires special polishes and oils to keep it clean while also protecting it against scratches and dings.

A guitar cleaning kit can give you everything you need to clean and polish your favorite instrument. In addition to the right solutions, you’ll also need to have a soft, lint-free cloth handy when it’s time for cleanup. A microfiber cloth is especially useful.

The metal parts of your guitar likely won’t need solution at all. Simply wipe them with your lint-free cloth. For the wood parts of your guitar, though, it’s important to invest in a solution specifically formulated for guitar cleaning. Some formulas limit their use to glossy finishes, while others can be used on guitars that have either a matte or glossy finish. Pay close attention to this before you buy.

Cleaning your guitar isn’t just a matter of ensuring it’s attractive and hygienic. Over time, the oils, sweat, skin cells and other human elements that come into contact with your guitar can damage its finish. It may start to look like it’s taken a beating, and you may see the performance start to degrade, as well.

Harsh chemicals are the enemy when it comes to cleaning your guitar. That’s why traditional cleaning and wood-polishing products aren’t advised for guitars. You’ll also want a polish that doesn’t leave a residue behind. Organic and natural oils are usually great, but your products don’t have to be all-natural to be safe and effective.

Some guitar cleaning products don’t just clean the surface of the instrument, they also protect it. If you find one that can create a layer of protection against scratches and wear, you can keep your guitar looking like new longer.

Our Picks For The Top Guitar Cleaning Kits

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Product Overview
Our Take
Pros
Cons
 Great for Beginners

Jim Dunlop Acoustic Guitar Cleaning Kit

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Jim Dunlop

Acoustic Guitar Cleaning Kit

This guitar cleaning kit includes both lemon oil and polish to not only clean your guitar but give it that renewed shine. The polish can be used every day for an attractive shine with no residue and the lemon oil helps remove grime from your fingerboard and shine up your fretboard. In addition to keeping your guitar clean and polished, these produc...

Overall Take

Handy and EffectiveThose who are new to guitar cleaning will love this kit, which provides quality without the cost.

Pros
" If you’re a first-time buyer of a guitar cleaning kit, this one is trustworthy and not too expensive."
 Best for Glossy Guitars

Music Nomad MN108 Premium Guitar Cleaning Kit

Music Nomad

MN108 Premium Guitar Cleaning Kit

You'll get three products in this kit: cleaner, polish and oil. The cleaner is formulated to clean, polish and wax your guitar in one swipe, while the polish brings new life to dull surfaces. The oil is designed to clean and polish your fretboard. This cleaning kit is made for glossy guitar finishes, not matte.

Overall Take

Organic Fretboard OilThe fretboard oil in this set uses 100% natural oils for safe but effective use on unfinished woods.

Pros
" This guitar cleaner is both simple and effective in keeping your guitar clean. The fretboard oil is made from 100% natural oils to help clean and condition your guitar."
 Best for Travel

D’Addario Accessories Guitar Care & Cleaning Kit

D'Addario

Accessories Guitar Care & Cleaning Kit

This kit includes everything you need in one eye-pleasing carrying case. You'll get a three-step polishing system, fretboard cleaner, a headstand, a microfiber polishing cloth, a fret polishing system, plus a string lubricant and cleaner. It also includes a non-slip protective body mat to keep your guitar safe while you're cleaning it.

Overall Take

High-Quality CaseThe high-quality case helps keep your cleaning products in one place while also making it easy to take them on the road with you.

Pros
" for general guitar care, this is a great kit. It comes in a good looking case, which keeps everything together and looks great."
 Best for Repairs

Elagon Guitar Pro Care Cleaner Kit Bundle

Elagon

Guitar Pro Care Cleaner Kit Bundle

This kit includes both tools and cleaning products. You'll get eight Allen keys, a guitar and bass string winder, string cutting pliers, a string cleaner and lubricant stick, guitar polish, a polish cloth and a string action ruler. You'll also get a high-quality pouch for storing everything.

Overall Take

Double-Duty KitThis kit helps you keep your guitar strings in good shape while also cleaning and polishing your guitar.

Pros
" This cleaning kit comes with a nice zipper case with tools secured in compartments. Its good quality and well made."
Cons
"No pickup cleaning solution."
Don't just take for granted what one reviewer says. Along with our own experts, DWYM analyzes the top expert reviews of the leading products and generates a score you can actually trust.
11

Products Considered

We identified the majority of the guitar cleaning kits available to purchase.
4

Products Analyzed

We then selected the leading and most popular products for our team to review.

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9

Expert Reviews Included

In addition to our expert reviews, we also incorporate feedback and analysis of some of the most respected sources including: Old Time Music, Music Oomph, Kadhja Bonet, Best Review Facts, Guitar Verdict.

3,588

User Opinions Analyzed

We also incorporate user reviews from the leading retailers including

Our experts reviewed the top 4 Guitar Cleaning Kits and also dug through the reviews from 9 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best of the best Guitar Cleaning Kits.

DWYM is your trusted roduct review source. Our team reviews thousands of product reviews from the trusted top experts and combines them into one easy-to-understand score. Learn more.

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Look for the DWYM seal for products that are the best in their category.

What to Look For

  • Use only polishes and oils built for cleaning and polishing guitars. It’s important to avoid any cleaning products with ammonia, abrasives or silicones.
  • When using separate products, make sure you keep your cloths separate. Have one for the cleanser and another for the polish, for instance.
  • Over time, the strings of your guitar will need repair and tightening. Make sure you have the proper tools on hand to maintain your strings.
  • A carrying case can come in handy for keeping everything stored between cleanings. Plus, it can make it easy to take your cleaning kit with you as you leave home for gigs or travel. Some cases are made from high-quality materials for durability and attractiveness.
  • If your guitar has scratches and other signs of wear, you may be able to buff it. If it has a satin finish, though, buffing is a bad idea. It can leave the wood looking blotchy.
  • You should also take care when caring for vintage guitars. Today’s polishes and cleaners may not be formulated for the materials used to build those guitars. If the guitar has a nitro finish, keep in mind that these guitars are supposed to change color over time.
  • Your fretboard will need a specialized product to help clean it. Don’t assume that you can use the same cleaner you used on the wood of the guitar.
  • To minimize dirt and the risk of damage, you should always keep your guitar in a case when you’re away from home. If you use a stand to display it while storing at home, make sure the stand is safely away from foot traffic to keep it from being damaged or knocked over.

Guitar Cleaning Kit Rankings

1. Jim Dunlop Acoustic Guitar Cleaning Kit

Overall Score: 9.6
Reviews Included: 3

2. Music Nomad MN108 Premium Guitar Cleaning Kit

Overall Score: 9.6
Reviews Included: 5

3. D’Addario Accessories Guitar Care & Cleaning Kit

Overall Score: 9.4
Reviews Included: 4

4. Elagon Guitar Pro Care Cleaner Kit Bundle

Overall Score: 9.2
Reviews Included: 5

More to Explore

The guitar has been around for centuries, but it wasn’t until the 1800s that it developed the design we see today. Guitarist Antonio Torres Jurado was running a china and crystal shop in Seville, Spain, when he began building guitars on the side. It’s said that between 1883, when his wife died, and his own death in 1892 that Jurado built about 12 guitars each year.

Jurado improved upon the European guitars that were popular at the time to create the guitars we see today. The design was so impressive, it became the blueprint for guitar designs that came afterward. Today’s guitars look very similar to Jurado’s design, with the only difference being the materials used to make them.

More to explore