Cold season has hit my studio hard...5 lesson cancellations this week alone! I went into full prevention mode disinfecting the music stands, doorknobs, and other heavily trafficked surfaces in my studio. I've also been chugging AirBorne like a maniac. After so much decontamination, I realized I am actually not 100% sure how to safely sanitize a flute. Flute disinfection can be a precarious task, especially if you do not know what you're doing.
I googled "flute disinfection" and came up with a few methods that seem a little....ummmmm...dangerous. Determined to get to the bottom of this mystery, I emailed my good friend and flute guru, Carolyn Nussbaum. Here are Carolyn's approved ways of how to safely disinfect your flute. You should take these steps if you recently have had a cold or illness or have been around others that might be contagious.
GENERAL FLUTE HYGIENEAlways wash your hands with hot water and soap before playing.
Keep your cleaning swab (the one that goes in the inside of your flute) clean . I throw my in the wash once every 2 weeks or so with my white towels. Hot water, detergent, and a little bleach if your swab is white.
When you put your flute back in the case, gently wipe down the headjoint, body, and
mechanism with a clean cloth. You can also wash these cloths in the washing machine. If you have a treated anti-tarnish cloth like the one pictured, you can wash it but the anti-tarnish chemicals will be washed out.
DEEP CLEAN
If you have recently been sick or been around others who are sick, follow these steps to safely disinfect your flute.
DO NOT run water through your headjoint. There is a cork at the top of your headjoint underneath the crown. Corks are porous and can easily absorb water. Even if you avoid the cork, there's always a chance you could have an 'oopsie.'
Simply use small alcohol swabs to wipe down the lip plate and riser. After using alcohol swabs, I always use a clean, soft cloth to remove any excess alcohol.Run a clean dry cloth attached to your cleaning rod through the inside of your headjoint.
If you have a really contagious disease, it is possible germs could get inside of your headjoint cork and grow. If this is the case, you may want to have the cork replaced.
Body and Footjoint
DO NOT use alcohol on the mechanism (keys) of your flute. This can dry the mechanism out and cause binding.
Use a clean soft cloth to gently wipe down the body and keys.
Thoroughly run a clean dry cloth attached to your cleaning rod through the inside of the tube. The cloth should not be so thick that it could potentially get stuck inside of your flute.
Hard Case
If your hard case is made out of hard plastic, use a Clorox wipe to wipe down the exterior of the case.
If your hard case has a leather or wooden exterior, wipe it down with a damp soft cloth then immediately dry with a clean, dry cloth. If your leather case is in bad shape, you can treat it with a small amount of leather cleaner.
Inside of Hard CaseTake your flute out of the case and VERY lightly spray the headjoint area with Lysol. Just a
few squirts. Let the case dry out over night before putting your flute back in.
Outside Soft Case
Most soft cases have a tag on them with washing instructions. In general, it's safer to wash in cold water or hand wash and to line dry. Hot water and drying machines can cause them to shrink and not fit over your hard case.
WORST CASE SCENARIO
If you have a very contagious cold or serious illness, you may need to take your flute to a flute technician who can give your flute a super deep clean.
Having sticky pads does not necessarily mean that your keys are loaded with germs. Moisture and minerals from your mouth and dirt and oil from your hands are absorbed into the pads on the underside of the keys. This can sometimes lead to the sticking sound. The best way to stop the sticking sound is prevention. Wash your hands before you play, and make sure to swab out the inside of your flute and wipe down the outside before you put your flute away each day. If the sticking sound is still there, use thin cigarette paper (ungummed) to absorb the stickiness. Put the cigarette paper between the pad and the body of the flute and gently press down. The moisture, dirt, and oil should transfer to the paper.
Other small microfiber pad dryers (like the one pictured above) are inexpensive solutions that last longer than disposable cigarette paper. You can purchase one here.
When in doubt, ask your teacher! Stay healthy, everyone!
Thanks to Carolyn Nussbaum of Carolyn Nussbaum Music Company for providing her expertise on this subject. Visit Carolyn's website for more awesome cleaning products! www.flute4u.com
