Care and Maintenance for your instrument and bow 
Wondering how to take care of your instrument and bow? The following tips provide guidelines for the proper care and maintenance of your violin, viola, cello, or bass.
 
Instrument

• When you are not using your instrument and bow, always place them in your case. They can easily fall and become damaged if you leave them on a chair or another surface, even temporarily.
• After playing your instrument, gently clean it with a soft, clean, lint-free cloth to remove rosin build-up on the strings and any dust, oil or sweat on your instrument, including the chin rest and bridge.
• Make sure you have securely closed your instrument case with any zippers and latches before picking up your instrument case. 
• Do not store your instrument in extreme hot or cold locations, and never leave your instrument in direct sunlight or in the trunk of your car on a warm day or cold day. If you have to travel with your instrument, take it indoors with you.
• Since we live in the Midwest and our climate can change rather dramatically from Winter to Spring, you may want to consider using a humidifier made for instruments (excessive dryness can cause cracking or it could cause the seams of your instrument to open).
• If your instrument ever has cracks or the seams begin to open, take it to a music store, instrument maker or luthier to be professionally repaired. Never use commercial glue to repair cracks on your instrument. Instrument makers use a special glue for violin seams and repairs.
• If your instrument's bridge ever needs to be adjusted, it is important to note that the ridge is held in place by pressure and proper placement, not glue (tension from the strings holds it in place). Please bring it to your instructor or to an instrument specialist.

Bow

• Tighten your violin bow before playing by gently turning the adjusting screw. Avoid making the bow hairs too tight---the separation between the bow stick and hair should be about the width of a pencil.
• Whenever you handle your bow, avoid touching the bow hairs with your fingers or hand. The natural oils on your skin will damage the bow hair and make it unplayable. 

• Put a small amount of rosin on your bow before playing. Hold the rosin in your left hand, place the bow hairs flat on the rosin and slowly move the bow back and forth on the rosin. Rosin provides the bow hair with friction in order to produce a sound when the bow is pulled across the strings.
• If you do not have enough rosin on your bow, your bow will slide across the strings and produce very little or no sound. Too much rosin can produce a raspy, scratching sound, and can result in rosin caking the strings. Visit this rosin & sound page for directions on how to apply rosin.
• Loosen the hair on your bow before putting it back in the case.