\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Over time, small gaps can form between the tone holes and the pads allowing air to pass through. WebThis thread suggests washing the clarinet with warm soapy water, then bleach or peroxide (dilute to a safe concentration), rinse and repeat. It wasnt until years later that I fully understood why you should keep it clean and how to deep clean it. You can saturate it in mouthwash, sterisol or vinegar. % of people told us that this article helped them. Cleaning Your Clarinet Mouthpiece: Full Cleaning In Under 20 Minutes. This can damage the tone holes! If you play regularly, your mouthpiece should be cleaned and sanitized weekly but is also an important step of this monthly deep clean. Molds include all species of microscopic fungi that grow in the form of multicellular filaments, called hyphae. Press the key lightly several times and repeat until no moisture or color shows on the paper. Quick Answer: How To Clean Moldy Mildewed Tent, Quick Answer: How To Clean Canvas Tent Mold, Quick Answer: How To Clean Mold Off Canvas Tent, Question: How To Clean Mold Off Camping Chairs, Question: How To Clean Mold From Tent Trailer. Purchase a clarinet stand. A clarinet is a delicate and intricate instrument that requires regular cleaning and maintenance to keep it in good condition. Allow reeds to air dry and then place back inside breathable reed cases. Fill out the form and lets get started! I generally wash them in warm soapy water and then follow up with a good wipe down with either peroxide, or clorox (only if the keywork is NOT silver). Regular white paper will work for this as well if youre in a pinch. Do not use the swab to clean the mouthpiece, as you may end up altering the shape of the mouthpiece or damaging it entirely. Repeat the cleaning process multiple times until there is no moisture left in the clarinet. Its recommended to have 2 pull-through swabs. You will need mouthwash, hydrogen peroxide, or white vinegar to clean your mouthpiece, real pipe cleaners or Q A dirty cloth will put germs and saliva back onto the reed. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. It may be your reed. You dont need a lot, just enough to cover the cork. Wash any part of the clarinet, except the mouthpiece, using water. Enjoy! This site is owned and operated by Freedom Content, LLC. Regular cleaning and maintenance significantly prevents any saliva, dirt, or condensation build up from damaging the cork, cracking or splitting the clarinet, damaging the pads and tarnishing the metal on the clarinet. Before we get started, lets get all our tools and cleaning supplies together. With this thin paper slice, put it under the outside edge of the tone hole. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. What are the pads made from? Mildew refers to certain kinds of mold or fungus. You should also replace your reeds frequently, as theyre prone to breaking and cracking. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. How do I fix it? Once it has had enough time to soak, use the mouthpiece brush to loosen any grime or residue on the mouthpiece then rinse it in warm water and place it on a flat surface so that it can dry. This will help your covers last longer and maintain their original texture. Except for the mouthpiece, dont ever wash any part of the clarinet with water since it can damage your instrument and can cause mildew. Or, when youre applying bore oil. Neglecting to clean a clarinet can lead to a buildup of dirt and grime, which can damage the instrument and affect its sound quality. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Not only is that gross, it can smell disgusting, and can get you sick over time. This article has been viewed 91,494 times. To prevent damage, NEVER spray directly on the instrument. If your case is not big enough to hold all of your cleaning supplies, you could purchase a pencil box to hold extra reeds, swabs, and other necessities. The table below summarizes and outlines a few clarinet maintenance tips that ensure the reliability and efficiency of your musical instrument. If you do that, you will ruin the mouthpiece and it might not play anymore, so don't even think about it. Vegetative mold (the stuff that you see growing) will not grow if the RH is below 50%. If the mold and mildew are in the wood body of the clarinet it will require a complete teardown to rid it of the majority of the offensive substance. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. If you too much pressure on the keys, you can bend them since the hinges and metalwork can be fragile. Take a bit of the vinegar and pour it on the rag. What can I use to clean my clarinet mouthpiece? Remove any garbage, old reeds, phone numbers (nice job, you!) Saxophone / By Traci Daniel / February 27, 2023. You can leave the mouthpiece to dry on the paper towel or cloth to make sure all the moisture is gone. 0:00 Introduction0:30 Swab your clarinet0:58 Remove excess moisture from mouthpiece1:45 Remove excess moisture around pads \u0026 tone holes2:44 Wash your swab(s) often4:33 Sanitize mouthpiece with vinegar and water6:12 Alternative to vinegar: Hydrogen peroxide 3%7:27 Sanitize reeds with hydrogen peroxide8:54 Use a an air circulating reed case10:41 Remove reed from mouthpiece after playing TAKE ONLINE CLARINET LESSONS WITH ME - https://forms.gle/TfJi656RkpDVvWLg8 I LOVE working with students who find me on YouTube! However, dont use lip balm. Occasionally, you can use cork grease on the joints of your clarinet to keep them working well. It is a good idea to rinse the mouth piece with cold water. How can I stop being frustrated while reading? Twist the upper joint onto the lower joint. So, how do you clean and maintain your clarinet so that it remains in working condition at all times? You should clean your instrument after you play, and cork grease it at least once a week. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. You will need mouthwash, hydrogen peroxide, or white vinegar to clean your mouthpiece, real pipe cleaners or Q-Tips to clean the tone holes, a soft brush to clean the dust from under the keys, a soft cloth to clean the mouthpiece, laundry detergent to clean your swab, and disinfectant wipes for the keys. To detect a leak, you could play the scale and listen if you hear any notes that are a little off. We dont want to get into it and find out that were missing something. Store the mouthpiece in the case with the reed still attached. Instead, use the swab that comes in your Clarinet Care Kit and pull it through each joint several times to eliminate moisture from the body. Allow to air dry for a bit. Read on to find out! To remove moisture and keep the clarinet bore clean, place the clarinet swab string through each section. How do you clean a musty instrument case? Rub gently on the area and rinse well with warm water, mopping up the rinse water with a dry towel as you go. For a clarinet, youll want to use an M oil (for medium). When using hydrogen peroxide, ensure to rinse the reed thoroughly to clear its strong odor and taste. We hope you found this guide useful and that itll make it easier to clean and maintain your clarinet, so you can enjoy it for years to come. Clean the mouthpiece at least once a week. If there's only a small mold stain, you can try using a 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution. Once you Remember to be gentle and use the appropriate cleaning solutions and materials, and consult the manufacturers instructions or a professional for guidance. Dry with a cotton or microfiber cloth, starting at the base going to the tip in one movement. Web1. Using a soft cloth or paper towel, wipe everything dry. Allow them to dry for about 3 minutes. 1 How To Clean A Clarinet? We use cookies to make wikiHow great. You could use micro fiber clothes that people also use for cars. Occasionally, you can also choose to use a disinfecting wipe or cloth that has been lightly sprayed with disinfecting spray. Then using either a mouthpiece brush or a soft-bristle toothbrush, remove all gunk and limescale. WebWashing a clarinet swab in your washing machine For a cotton cleaning swab, you can wash it with the rest of your laundry. ", "I had this 5 paragraph essay to do, and this article helped me a lot.". Regularly cleaning your clarinet will prevent small issues from developing into larger symptoms that may cause your clarinet to not play properly. You will have to apply some pressure and use the cloth to scrub the mold away. The swab is a cleaning cloth with a cord or string on one end so you can pull it through each clarinet segment, except for the mouthpiece since you already cleaned that. However, you can clean the keys one to two times a week to get oil build-up off. Let it sit for at least an hour before wiping away mold. Care and maintenance after playing Monthly care and maintenance Musical Instrument Guide:Clarinet Contents Origins The birth of the clarinet wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Youve finished deep cleaning your clarinet. When this happens, the clarinet keys begin to stick together. Along with that, you should spray the clarinet and reed mouthpiece using sanitizing spray whenever you can. Be sure to clean the reed case as well; dish soap, vinegar, or even something like Lysol will remove germs and mold spores. Last Updated: September 23, 2022 As you play, your saliva coats the inside of your mouthpiece (called the chamber) where it can build up and create an environment where bacteria and mold can thrive. By cleaning your instrument, youre removing any buildup and possibly bacteria growth and mold. With the case open shake it upside down over the garbage or outside to get rid of any free dirt or lint. We also show ads from our ads network Ezoic. Also though, you shouldnt swab the mouthpiece since it has a smaller opening and the cloth can get stuck and possibly cause damage. etc. In conclusion, cleaning a clarinet is an important part of maintaining the instrument and keeping it in good condition. WebAnswer (1 of 2): There is not much you need to worry about with the instrument itself. CleanMyInstrument.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and Sam Ash to provide a means to earn advertising revenue by linking to products on those websites (no cost to you and we only recommend products that we think youll like). It does not store any personal data. If the keys become severely tarnished, a professional such as me can clean silver plated keys with tarnish remover or nickel keys with a buffing wheel. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. For areas under the metalwork that you cant get to, use your key brush to remove dirt. Let it dry as you have been. Over time, the moisture from your saliva and breath builds up and provides the perfect environment for bacteria and mold to grow and thrive. Take clarinet apart. Because of this, many clarinet players have had odor issues with their mouthpieces. Swab each segment. Even though your instrument is in its case, it can still be damaged by heat and moisture depending on where its stored. Wash any part of the clarinet, except the mouthpiece, using water. As you can see, theres a lot that goes into deep cleaning a clarinet but weve broken it down into easy to follow steps and well explain each step along the way. How to clean and disinfect your clarinet. By cleaning it often, you easily avoid any intonation problems, Ensure that the tubing of the tone holes are always clean, The tone holes for keys #9, #10, and #12 need to accumulate dirt easily. Along with that, you should spray the clarinet and reed mouthpiece using sanitizing spray whenever you can. To clean the reed, soak it in mouthwash for about 1 minute then rinse it under warm water. If you do not have a mouthwash, you can use hydrogen peroxide mixed in hot water. You can then remove the clarinet reed. 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