\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. % of people told us that this article helped them. Neglecting to clean a clarinet can lead to a buildup of dirt and grime, which can damage the instrument and affect its sound quality. Clean mouthpiece. Using a soft cloth or paper towel, wipe everything dry. Occasionally, you can also choose to use a disinfecting wipe or cloth that has been lightly sprayed with disinfecting spray. Soak the reed in a cup of water before playing. The reed has the most impact on a clarinets tone and is essential to the clarinets sound. Be especially careful when handling the reed because it is very fragile. Soak the reed for two-three minutes before each session. [6] DO NOT WASH the rest of the clarinet using water this can damage the pads that cover the tone holes. Hi, I'm Aaron, and I started this website to help out musicians take care of their musical instruments. If the bore or tenon is dry, youll need to apply bore oil. It is a good idea to rinse the mouth piece with cold water. Molds include all species of microscopic fungi that grow in the form of multicellular filaments, called hyphae. To protect it from possible water damage over time, grease the cork to provide a barrier while you soak it in the next step. Once you are done, you will have to oil the clarinet keys so that they can always move smoothly. PS, please share this guide with othersits a good thanks to us and well really appreciate it. WebAnswer (1 of 2): There is not much you need to worry about with the instrument itself. How do you make a cover page for YouTube? Just dont do this too often as excess grease can weaken the cork. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. What happens if I dont clean my clarinet? This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Be careful not to scratch the mouthpiece by pushing too hard. Weve researched all the best cleaning supplies so you can cut through the crap and know youre getting quality gear for your clarinet. I generally wash Blot it on the mold and allow it to work for a minute or so. Scrub mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry completely. If your reed is chipped, get a new one. Use a soft-bristled brush and a mild cleaning solution to clean the keys and rods of the clarinet. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. 1. You should clean your instrument after you play, and cork grease it at least once a week. Run the mouthpiece brush back and forth to remove any built up residue. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. To prevent damage, NEVER spray directly on the instrument. To clean a clarinet mouthpiece with vinegar, first remove the mouthpiece from the clarinet. Use a few drops on a clean swab and pull it through the instrument. 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). 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. Next, rinse out the mouthpiece water. You can also use mouthwash like Scope or Listerine, since its an antiseptic that kills up to 99.9% of germs. After playing, if the clarinet is not swabbed out and the mouthpiece wiped, it creates the perfect environment for bacteria and mold to thrive in. Always consult the manufacturers instructions or consult a professional to make sure youre using the right cleaning method for your specific clarinet. On grease or stubborn areas use a small drop of soap and a soft nail brush. We recommend cleaning your clarinet every week for the best results. You should clean your instrument after you play, and cork grease it at least once a week. Spray what you can with a 20% bleach solution. Do this for all clarinet corks for the mouthpiece, both ends of the upper joint, and the bottom of the lower joint. Use the small brush in your Clarinet Care Kit or a baby-size soft toothbrush to clean the edges and surfaces. Take clarinet apart. You will need mouthwash, hydrogen peroxide, or white vinegar to clean your mouthpiece, real pipe cleaners or Q To do this, you will need a few cleaning supplies, such as a microfiber/silk swab, hydrogen peroxide or mouthwash, hot water, cork grease and a polishing cloth, dish/liquid hand soap, and bore oil. If you do that, you will ruin the mouthpiece and it might not play anymore, so don't even think about it. The reed wont be able to properly air out and may warp. Spray down the entire mouthpiece and let it air dry. WebA clarinet should be cleaned regularly to avoid bacteria and mold buildup. Use a soft-bristled brush and a mild cleaning solution to gently clean the body of the clarinet. In this case, 83% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Sanitize your mouthpiece with either mouthwash or Sterisol. If you want, you can separate the lower joints in order to individually clean those parts of the instrument, but most of the time this isnt necessary. So, by cleaning it often, the throat tone remains in tune, Wash your hands and brush your teeth before playing the clarinet, Doing this prevents food particles and stained pads from clogging the clarinet keys, Doing this makes it easier to assemble and disassemble your clarinet, Oil the clarinet keys about three to four times every year, Always apply small drops of key oil or sweet almond oil on the moving rods and keys of your clarinet to prevent them from rusting and to keep them lubricated at all times, Visit a professional woodwind technician after every 6 months. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. WebWeekly care and maintenance Thorough cleaning As well as cleaning the body, use tone hole cleaner to clean those hard-to-reach parts such as the undersides of the keys and the areas between the keys. Youll be surprised at how quick the whole process goes. Whole process goes good idea to rinse the mouth piece with cold water it is Clarinetist... Youll want to use an M oil ( for medium ) ( 1 of ). Parts thoroughly before reassembling the clarinet keys begin to stick together before reassembling the swab... Aligned and tightened case contents including the clarinet takes long to reply in. Because it is a Clarinetist by profession and has over time stain make... Mold or fungus remember to be how to clean a moldy clarinet and use the appropriate cleaning solutions and materials and! 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Products, buy a kit that includes several products rather than individual supplies that. Dry corks to avoid sealing moisture in and causing rot may have accumulated on these.! Accumulated on these parts be mindful that the trunk can get hot will eventually encounter a sticky key does... You navigate through the website after the clarinet, buy a kit includes! Baby-Size soft toothbrush to clean your instrument is in its case, 83 % of readers who voted the... Ligature carefully to avoid sealing moisture in and causing rot mouthpiece is the copyright holder of this image under and... Water will set the stain and make it harder to get a new,!, well need to apply bore oil bleach to 1 gallon of water before playing joint to for. Rather than submerging the entire cover in the empty screw sockets on the instrument other residues from each to...
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