What can I do to remove a rosin build-up on my fingerboard and also the body of the violin underneath the strings? I clean it conscientiously every time I play, but it still seems to cling. I know luthiers have some kind of cleaning agent, but I was also told that because it is so strong and potentially damaging in the wrong hands, it cannot be bought "over the counter". Being a string teacher, I feel I should know the answer to this one, but I don't!

A little methanol on a small tissue or piece of cottonwool will clean the strings and the fingerboard - be very careful not to let it touch the varnish - but the body of the instrument needs to be cleaned by a luthier, this bit is definitely not a DIY job!

A very soft, non-fluffy, duster is the best thing to use to clean the fingerboard and violin after each use. It's completely non-abrasive and will literally mop up the rosin dust before it has time to adhere to the varnish. Make sure you wash the duster frequently too, otherwise it will also become gooey to the touch.

Would any alcohol do, clearly not my best single malt?

I am always getting grouched at for rosin on my fiddle... I do clean it, but I'm really busy and sometimes a little white patch will appear despite my best efforts.

I usually clean it off with a soft cloth and a little violin polish if it's being tenacious - usually the cloth alone is enough. I use methanol on the fingerboard, as AmandaL suggested.

Allan

(What really gets my goat is that it's usually 'well meaning' beginners that 'helpfully' point out the white layer on my fiddle when I'm playing in a session - 'Oh, you really shouldn't leave that you know, it's terribly bad for the violin (of course they don't ever call it a fiddle)'... pah!)

EDIT : If that single malt was going to waste anyway, I'll happily take care of it for you!

Avoid alcohol drinks with a sugar content, the alcohol will evaporate but the sugar will be left behind as an equally gooey mess.

In the spirit of the old maxim 'prevention is better than cure': Don't use too much rosin to start with, then you won't have to worry greatly about cleaning it off.