Cleaning your instrument is always a good idea to prevent any bacterial growth. In light of recent news broadcasts now is the time all students should give their instrument the once over.
Your Instrument manufacturer has the definitive instructions on your specific brand and model care and should be consulted first.
Brass Students (trumpet, trombone, french horn, baritone horn and tuba):
Mouthpieces can be boiled for 15 minutes or dowsed in alcohol or peroxide. Use a mouthpiece brush to get to the inside tube (bore) of the mouthpiece. Rinse thoroughly with cold water.
Instruments may get a luke warm water bath with a gentle soap. Cleaning rods with cheese cloth or flexible brushes may be used on the inside of tuning slides, hand slides and valve casings. Rinse extensively with cold water. Any soap left behind may prevent valves and slides from operating properly with lubricants. Dry with a soft cloth that won't scratch the instrument's finish.
NOTE: Do not scratch the valve or slide surfaces (inside and out) with any type of cleaning rod. Scratches will make valves or slides sticky that heavy lubrication can not fix. Use valve oil for valves only, light vaseoline for tuning slides and slide 'O mix solution for trombone slides.
Woodwind Students (Flute, piccolo, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, bass clarinet, ALL saxophones):
Flute and piccolo head joints can be cleaned with alcohol pads but should be rinsed afterward. Q-tips can be used on the metal portion of keys. Do Not use silver polish or detergent on any portion of soft pads. The pads will be destroyed and have to be replaced. You may also use a cleaning rod with cloth for the inside of the head joint and body parts.
All clarinet and saxophone mouthpieces may be sanitized with peroxide or alcohol. Use a mouthpiece brush for for the interior and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Clarinet mouthpieces have cork and this area of the mouthpiece should be cleaned very quickly and gently so as not to tear the cork. Do not saturate the cork. If the cork tears it will have to be replaced.
The interior of clarinets and saxophones may be swabbed with a swab kit. The tone holes of the clarinets should be cleaned with a mild alcohol on q-tips. The necks of saxes should be flushed with a mild soapy water and rinsed. Do not allow any type of polish or metal cleaner to touch the soft pads of the keys as this will destroy the pads and all pads will have to be replaced.
The bokel of a bassoon may be cleaned with a long pipe cleaner and alcohol. Rinse thoroughly. Tone holes may be cleaned the same as the clarinet.
Reeds may be soaked in listerine or replaced. All reeds should never be left on the mouthpiece. This creates a happy place for mold and ruins the reed. Reeds should be kept in a reed saver or the plastic case they came in.
