I came across a strange piece of "info" yesterday, well actually, it was in an instrumental joke. Here is the quote: "he cleans his silver flute head joint out with listerine every month"...sounds liek a bad idea, yet, I wonder what would happen if you DID clean your silver flute headjoint out with listerine...your thoughts? (not that I would do this, but I find it a matter of interest)
Disclaimer, Not recommended for the young ones.....It's meant as a joke.
Perhaps if one IS concerned with germs, one could hold the head joint with the crown cap down, put their thumb over the embouchure hole and fill the head joint with some Austrian Stroh Rum. Then after a few moments to allow the chemistry to do it's work, down the liquid.
This will pretty well help to alleviate all concerns about germs for a time.....especially if followed by a pint or three of a good stout.
As a side effect, it tends to cure the player of all concerns about wrong notes and bad intonation.
It is possible to get hepatitis B from playing another persons instrument. You shouldn't play another persons instrument without cleaning it first. You can use 90% alcohol. But you can also use something called Sterisol which is sold in Music stores. Sterisol is only 70% alcohol, but it is better than nothing at all.
Just spray it on the mouthpiece of the instrument and let it sit for about 60 seconds and then wipe it dry.
Hepatitis B is a very serious disease and is on the rise world wide. You can get it from direct contact with bodily fluids. (saliva)
I don't mean to be a germaphobe but you should take precautions.
I don't clean my own flute constantly with alcohol I just swab it out after I am through playing it every day. I generally don't let other people play my flutes or piccolos. If they do play them, I clean them with the alcohol or Sterisol.
I wouldn't care to acquire herpesvirus/cold sores this way, either.
I DO agree that we have become germophobes, though. I drink raw/unpasteurized milk, from my own cow. (After I nearly died from a small intestine perforation, and the surgeon removed a significant portion of my small intestine, I am unable to digest pasteurized milk. I can only digest milk fresh from the cow.) So many people freak out about raw milk, thinking that surely it would contain enough evil to kill you right away.
I think common sense can give us a good approach. If we are play-testing flutes at a big convention, where everyone and their sister tries a particular flute, a disinfectant would be appropriate. If it is simply you and your non-cold-sore-carrying, non-hapatitis-carrying, not-sick-right-now-with-a-cold flute teacher, maybe we don't need to be paranoid.
Our flute section leader always said that Apricot Brandy was a cure-all. Now I'll have to tell her that there's another use for it- that she ought to keep some in her flute bag at all times!
vampav8trix, does make a good point that I adhere to.
My point is that there are better sterilizers out there than that bottle of Listerine.
I generally keep my flutes away from others mouths and fingers. When visiting those booths at flute fests, it is best to take precautions with these sorts of things there. You never know who has been playing that pretty platinum flute before you pick it up.
Ahhh...I keep a shot glass in my case, actually. No kidding. =) I have heard of a LA phillarmonic bassoon player who soaks his reed in alchohol before he plays, it apparently helps is reed when playing in altitude...although he soaks his reed in the stuff normally just cuz he likes it.
If you are going to use alcohol might I suggest the lower strengths like 70%. Although you might think 90% is better because it is stronger you actually may find 70% more effective.
Why you might ask? What is the difference?
Well 90% alcohol is basically alcohol (90%) and water (10%)
70% alcohol is alcohol (70%) and water (30%). Water is the carrier agent to get the alcohol where it needs to go. A 70% solution will get places the 90% solution can't. Next time you're at the doctor's office look and see what strength they use. They use a lower strength because the water will carry the alcohol deeper and more thouroughly thereby resulting in a more efficient sterilization.
I do know of several clarinet and sax players who soak their reeds in a 50/50 solution of water and listerine. I also know of a clarinet player who beleives in letting the natural germs and flora develop on his reeds beleiving they give him a better tone as the germs/bacteria/etc fill in the gaps of the reed fibres.
But this is the Flute forum.
If you feel a need to sanitize use the 70% solution of alcohol. The water will get it where it needs to be and the cork won't stay wet because the alcohol will dry the water out. Stay away from listerine and what have you, as the other agents in these products (dye, fragrance, etc) will accumulate near the cork and I don't think our bronchia really want to constantly be breathing in fragrances and dyes.
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