Ok I finally saved enough money to purchase a new flute (very hard task for a teenager)so naturally I want to keep it as clean as possible. The flute came with a polishing cloth (blue) so i wipe down my flute with it and i had a polishing cloth previously (yellow) that i used and if i wipe my flute with that after the blue cloth it gets even cleaner then once a week i take water and something like plain tissue or clean cloth and wipe it down (i was told this was good if i did not have a polishing cloth wich is what i did for my old flute)It used to work the best on my old flute but recently a black residue has been coming of on to tissue/cloth which never happend before with my old flute i don't know if this is due to the cloths or the water and tissue i obvioulsy don't want to damage my flute and i don't know if this black residue is from over polishing my flute (is that even possible?)and i don't know if the clothes had anything on them because the blue one had nothing on it (it just came with the flute) and the yellow one said for silver instruments so i don't know if they are treated with anything (i have heard that can be damaging if used to often)this new flute is all sterling silver were the other was only silver plated so i don't know if that has anything to do with it

me

Interesting fact for reading this and trying to help me:

Aulophobia: Fear of Flutes

A tiny bag or little container(about the size of a thimble) of desiccant also works. You want to keep excess humidity away from it if at all possible.