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Instrument Cleaning Tips
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- All mouthpieces should be washed in warm soapy water and rinsed clean on a regular basis.
- Flute head joints and tone hole/lip plate can be wiped with rubbing alcohol to clean and sanitize. Do not use Lysol wipes.
- Clarinet and saxophone reeds can be washed in warm soapy water and well-rinsed before putting back in the reed case. Change reeds if you are sick and don't keep old reeds if they look moldy or dirty.
- Rubbing alcohol (minimum 70% - not hand sanitizer or Lysol wipes) can be used to wipe down keys and body of instruments.
- Lysol or Clorox wipes or soap and water should only be used on the outside of the case. Don't use wipes on instruments - they can damage the finish.
- Do not ever submerge flutes, clarinets, or saxophones in water. This leads to very expensive repairs.
- Brass instruments (trumpet, trombone, baritone, tuba) may be cleaned in the bathtub once a year. See instructions and video.
- You should have your instrument professionally cleaned and sanitized once a year at the music store (Long and McQuade, St. John's Music).
- If you are unsure on how to proceed, please email [email protected] or ask Ms. L in class for help.
Video Links for All Instruments
*How to Clean Your Flute
*How to Clean Your Clarinet
*How to Clean Your Saxophone
*How to Clean Your French Horn
*How to Clean Your Trombone
*How to Clean Your Baritone/Tuba
*How to Give Your BRASS Instrument a Bath
*Please also check out this article on Instrument Hygiene and the importance of cleaning your instrument.