How to Clean a Banjo

I wanted to learn how to play the banjo, because I thought it would be fun, but I don't have any money to buy one.  So, I got a loaner banjo from a friends' attic. It smelled horrible. I did not bring the chipboard case into the house and it needed some serious cleaning. Now you can benefit from my experience.

 

 First take it all outside, paper towels, window cleaner and a dust cloth. I used the dust cloth on everything first, then took the window cleaner and paper towels to the drum head (round plastic part of the banjo).

This banjo has had some abuse, probably some water damage on top of being old. Like original parts made in the 1950s and coming from KCMO - making it unofficially a ghetto banjo.

You can see where some wear is showing on the upper frets. I guess banjoist use that region a lot....

Well, the towels got black, not even kidding, it was disgusting. After wiping everything down, I realized it still looks like a ghetto banjo. Style points! 

So the next step would be, how to tune a banjo, or getting a strap or restringing a banjo or finding a case that isn't moldy... Never-mind, we need to name it, "Elliott."

Thus makes the beginning of yet another adventure....How to Play the banjo...