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I had just finished fixing a few small dings and scratches on my favorite guitar by drop filling nitro, level sanding, and then buffing the whole guitar. It looked great. Mahogany dreadnaught, red spruce top, built in 2008. It was played at a weekly jam session for almost 10 years, so it had a few battle scars. I installed new strings and sat down to tune it up when I noticed my arm was stuck to the lower bout. I had applied Cutter Backwoods mosquito spray to my arms maybe 30 min. earlier because a mosquito had been having dinner on me. That stuff melted into the nitro and really messed it up. It even melted my fingerprints into the top where I touched it during the sanding and buffing process. I was able to sand and buff it out and its ok now, but it melted into the finish in seconds. So I learned an important lesson today, forget the mosquito spray and let the mosquitoes eat.

Not the adventure in modern chemistry you were looking for?

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

I've been told that the military strength deet will dissolve nylon.

Been there done that! So don't feel alone.

Makes you wonder if it is doing that to your lungs if you breath it in.

Alec

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

Take it from me everything is from that cheap perfume "men" wear to dryer sheets will kill you...and nobody much cares.

I first heard about this problem on a bird watching list. I.E.....don't handle your expensive binoculars after touching mosquito repellent. I still use it on occasion but always wash my hands after smearing it on my face and arms.

Those aresols have some type of alcohol as a carrier. Alcohol will melt into laquers. My son's Les Paul has a rough spot he won't let me buff out that occurred when a helping mother sprayed him during a back yard show he was playing in when he was 11.

Shane

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Canada

I did that to a 77 Guild that I owned sitting on a front porch serenading a girlfriend back in the day.

I blamed it on her...... Kidding of course.... If you ever heard me sing it likely was not the bug spray but my voice rotted the finish off the guitar instead....

Been there, done that. Sprayed my pant legs. A little while later I sat down to play and noticed the waist of the guitar was sticking to my leg. It's on my list of repairs to do, but it is my favorite guitar and I don't want to take it out of service. So I'm living with another battle scar.

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Tony Thatcher
Bozeman, Montana

Two instances with different solvents.

First, I applied OFF and then picked up a new broom. The white paint came off all over my palms.

Second, I applied antibiotic ointment on a spot on my forearm. The Vaseline softened the finish on the front of my Kohno. It took a long time to realize what had happened. I mistook the roughened surface for grime, and tried to clean it off, but took the finish off.

This has not been my experience. Your "alcohol" must contain some other solvent besides alcohol. We use DNA to clean fingerboards followed by lemon oil and have never had any problem with getting it on our lacquer finish.

I will stick with the bug spray. We have had 3 people die from West Nile Virus from mosquito bites in the last month in Windsor.

Bob