Let me ask how clean your guitar is. Most guitarists would say, "Not very clean," and that's usually because they just can't make time to clean their guitars. The body gets spots, the fret board gets greasy, and the hardware starts to look downright nasty.

It might seem like a chore, but cleaning your guitar can lengthen your guitar's life by leaps and bounds. Here are some cleaning tips on how to easily and quickly give your guitar's sparkle and shine back.

* Clean the fret board when you plan to remove the strings.

If you're looking for time and convenience when you think about how to clean your guitar, then why not do it when you already plan on some routine maintenance? The next time you need to change a string or restring your guitar, use some olive oil and an old rag and wipe down your fret board. You'll see a beautiful shine when you're done.

* Use household window and glass cleaners for the guitar body.

If you were to ask how to clean your guitar in a guitar store, the salesperson would probably recommend an expensive cleaning polish. Don't worry about cleaning polish for your guitar if you don't want to spend the money.

You can easily get spots and bring out your guitar's natural shine in the body with some household glass cleaner. Use a few sprays and wipe down with a rag and it will look great.

* Wash your hands each time before playing your guitar.

This tip is more of a preventative measure on how to keep your guitar clean. I can remember getting my guitar strings so filthy only because I forgot to wash my hands after eating chicken wings or pizza. Take a minute or two to wash your hands and you can keep your strings cleaner and your fingers more sanitary.

* Use a small sponge or toothbrush to clean nasty strings and tailpieces.

Your hardware on the guitar is difficult to get really clean if you've neglected a cleaning for a long time. Grab an old toothbrush and some glass cleaner once again and work into those tiny crevices. You'll see a nice shine and less dirt at the bottom of your guitar.

Believe me. I understand just as much as you that cleaning your guitar isn't that much fun, but I've held onto guitars longer than I thought I could just because I kept up on a little simple "spit-shine" every now and again. Keep your guitar in fine working condition and keep it clean.