Cleaning Mouthpieces, Scroll down to find your instrument.
The mouthpiece (flute headjoint), Bassoon bocal, and saxophone neck crook are essential parts of woodwind instruments as well as Brass mouthpieces and sousa necks. As the only parts of these instruments placed either in or close to the musician's mouth, research has concluded that these parts (and reeds) harbor the greatest quantities of bacteria.
Adhering to the following procedures will ensure that these instrumental parts will remain antiseptically clean for the healthy and safe use of your instrument.
WOODWINDS
Cleaning the Flute Head Joint
Using a cotton swab saturated with multi surface antibacterial cleaner(or lysol wipe) carefully clean around the embouchure hole.
Using a soft, lint-free silk cloth inserted into the cleaning rod, clean the inside of the headjoint.
Do not run the headjoint under water as it may saturate and damage the headjoint cork.
Cleaning Bocals
Bocals should be cleaned every month with a bocal brush(small pipe cleaner),antibacterial dish soap solution, and running water. Be careful not to scratch the inside of the bocal with the exposed wire ends of the pipe cleaner.
Cleaning Hard Rubber (Ebony) Mouthpieces(Clarinet and Saxophone)
Mouthpieces should be swabbed after each playing and cleaned weekly.
Select a small (to use less liquid) container that will accommodate the mouthpiece and place the mouthpiece tip down in the container.
Fill the container to where the ligature would begin with a dish soap solution Protect clarinet mouthpiece corked tenons from moisture.
After a short time, use an appropriately sized mouthpiece brush to remove any calcium deposits or other residue from inside and outside surfaces.
Rinse the mouthpiece thoroughly and then place on paper towel and wipe dry.
Cleaning Saxophone Necks
Swabs are available to clean the inside of the saxophone neck. However, most saxophonists use a flexible bottlebrush and toothbrush to accomplish the same results.
If the instrument is played daily, the saxophone neck should be cleaned weekly (and swabbed out each day after playing).
Use the bottlebrush and mild, soapy water to clean the inside of the neck. (Being careful to not wet the neck key pad)
Woodwind Instrument Body Cleaning.
Lysol aerosol Spray and instrument appropriate swabs.
Each instrument has swabs designed for the size and you should not cross use for other size instruments.
The best swabs for instrument cleaning are cloth swabs you can wash to keep clean use for a long length of time.
BRASS
Cleaning Brass Mouthpieces
Mouthpieces should be cleaned weekly if not daily.
Using a cloth soaked in warm, soapy water, clean the outside of the mouthpiece.
Use a mouthpiece brush and warm, soapy water to clean the inside.
Rinse the mouthpiece and dry thoroughly.
Brass Instrument Bathing Links
Cleaning Low Brass, Baritones, Tbones
Step by Step Brass Guide
To clean your instrument you must take it apart completely. You will also need some
cleaning brushes (available at music stores), valve oil, slide grease, and some liquid dish soap. You will also need a place to clean the instrument. Unless you have a large sink the bath tub is probably the best place.
1. Carefully remove all slides, valves and valve bottom caps. Extreme care should be taken with trombone slides as they are very delicate, especially when they are apart! If any of the slides are stuck take your instrument to a repair shop to have them removed. They can be damaged if not removed properly.
2. Place all the parts, except for the valves, in warm, not hot, water containing some liquid dish soap. Let the instrument parts soak in the water for about 10 minutes.
3. While the instrument soaks, take the valves and run warm water over them and brush
out all openings in the valves with the valve brush. Shake off any extra water and set
valves aside to dry.
4. Next brush out all tubes with the "snake" and the valve casings with the valve brush. Be sure to clean any debris from inside the valve bottom caps.
5. Use clean water and rinse out the instrument. Wipe off any excess moisture and set the instrument aside to dry thoroughly. It is important that the inside of your instrument is completely dry before you proceed.
6. Apply a small amount of slide grease to each slide and reassemble. Be sure not to put slide grease on the main trombone slide. Use slide cream or slide oil on this slide.
7. Install the valve bottom caps. Put a drop of valve oil on each valve and install them in
their proper location. Valves are numbered and must be in the correct location to operate properly.
8. You are finished. Enjoy playing your newly cleaned instrument!
Choosing a Disinfectant for Musical Instruments
Sterisol Germicide Solution can be safely used on plastics, hard rubbers, and metals.
Mi-T-Mist Mouthpiece Cleanser can be used on most materials.
Lysol cleaning wipes are safe for most materials. They are NOT recommended for use on hard rubber mouthpieces.
A solution made with watered down dish detergent for brass instrument cleaning. Dawn Foam is recommended.