Care of the instrument.
The instrument must always be kept clean and in order; every part should always be in proper condition. The dust from the resin must, every time after playing, be wiped from the upper table, fingerboard and bridge with a soft cloth. The strings, fingerboard and neck are then rubbed with an old silk handkerchief, taking care not to rub the strings to and fro, but always in one direction, else small fibres may be loosened. If the strings are dirty through perspiring fingers, the upper three strings may be rubbed with a little neats’ foot oil or almond oil, or a notched almond may be used. The G string may be cleaned with spirits or by rubbing with fine (No. 1) glass paper. The encrustation of resin upon the surface of the strings may be removed with spirits, observing that nothing drops upon the upper table, to injure the varnish.
To keep the neck quite smooth it may be occasionally rubbed with pulverized pumice stone put into a little muslin bag.[10]
The dust that accumulates inside the violin may be removed by warming some very fine gravel or grains of wheat, and throwing them inside. The instrument is then shaken about, and on shaking the grains out again through the f holes, the dust comes away also. To make the pegs work easily and yet hold fast, they must frequently be rubbed with dry soap and then with chalk, where they come in contact with the peg box.