“Natural,” “eco-friendly,” and “green” are among the most overused and least regulated terms in consumer products. Guitar care is no exception — products marketed as natural often contain petroleum derivatives, synthetic fragrances, and ingredients that are anything but environmentally responsible.

Here’s what to actually look for when choosing eco-friendly guitar care products.

The Problem with “Natural” Claims

In most markets, there’s no legal definition of “natural” for cosmetic or care products. A manufacturer can call a product natural while it contains 95% white mineral oil — a petroleum by-product — with a small amount of plant extract added for marketing purposes.

This is exactly what happens with most “lemon oils” for guitar fingerboards. The lemon is fragrance. The oil is petroleum.

Genuine eco-friendly products require more than a marketing claim. Here’s what to look for.

What to Look For

1. Transparent ingredient lists
Reputable natural products list their ingredients. If a guitar care product doesn’t tell you what’s in it, that’s a red flag. Look for specific ingredient names — cold-pressed oils, plant waxes, natural extracts — rather than vague terms like “natural oils.”

2. Petroleum-free formulation
The most common non-eco ingredient in guitar care products is white mineral oil (also called liquid paraffin or petroleum distillate). It’s cheap, stable, and effective at coating surfaces — but it’s a petroleum by-product, it doesn’t biodegrade, and it offers none of the active benefits of plant-based oils.

A genuinely eco-friendly fingerboard oil will state explicitly that it contains no petroleum or mineral oil.

3. Solvent-free production
Many care products use solvents in their manufacturing process even if the final product doesn’t contain them. Look for products that state solvent-free production as well as solvent-free ingredients.

4. Biodegradable
Plant-based oils and waxes biodegrade naturally. Petroleum-derived products do not. A product that claims to be eco-friendly should be able to confirm its ingredients are fully biodegradable.

5. Sustainable packaging
Eco-friendly credentials extend to packaging. Look for recyclable materials, minimal plastic, and packaging that’s proportionate to the product.

6. Responsible sourcing
Organic, responsibly sourced ingredients have a lower environmental impact than conventionally farmed equivalents. Look for products that can speak to where their raw materials come from.

What LORE® Does Differently

LORE® Instrument Care was developed specifically because the alternatives on the market didn’t meet these standards. Every product in the range is:

• Petroleum-free — zero mineral oil, zero petroleum distillates
• Solvent-free — in both ingredients and production process
• Fully biodegradable — all raw materials break down naturally
• Organic ingredients — responsibly sourced from certified organic suppliers
• Eco-friendly packaging — biodegradable and recyclable materials
• Carbon neutral operations — including 14,000+ trees planted locally on Dartmoor

The Bottom Line

Eco-friendly guitar care is possible — but it requires looking past marketing claims to actual ingredients and production practices. Ask what’s in the product, where it comes from, and what happens to it after use. If a manufacturer can’t answer those questions clearly, the product probably isn’t as green as it claims.

LORE® Instrument Care is petroleum-free, solvent-free, and fully biodegradable. Made from organic ingredients, handmade in small batches on Dartmoor, Devon.

🎸 Not sure which LORE® product is right for your finish or instrument area? View our Product Guide →