 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: CharmOne
Date: 2003-08-30 21:57
Every once a while I soak my reeds into a cup with some hydrogen Peroxide. Took them out for a half an hour later, but the reeds smell horrible. Does anyone out there have any suggestions?
Thanks,
CharmOne
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Author: Keil
Date: 2003-08-30 22:08
soak them a little in listerine or one of your other favorite mouthwashes for both a disinfected and fragrant reed. :-)
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Author: Terry Horlick
Date: 2003-08-30 22:14
Keil,
Most mouthwashes are alcohol with color and flavor added. Just how does that alcohol help our reeds play?
TH
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Author: CharmOne
Date: 2003-08-30 22:30
Listerine, I might take a trip to the drug store and get a bottle. I never had or even tried listerine before....
CharmOne
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2003-08-30 23:08
I don't know what I'm talking about, but I would think that listerine would hurt a reed, not help. How long to people keep reeds anyway?!?! By the time my reeds would need to be disinfected, they're already too far gone to play. Maybe instead of going to such lengths attempting to revive old, smelly, moldy reeds, we should just spring for a new box...
Just my highly uneducated opinion (feel free to prove me wrong),
Don Hite - theclarinetist@yahoo.com
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2003-08-30 23:43
(Disclaimer - I sell ReedLife reed treatment) Plain hydrogen peroxide does not smell very good. Get a little bottle of oil of peppermint at the grocery store in the spice department (only a couple of drops per 500 mL bottle is sufficient) if you want them to smell better after peroxide treatment. Repeated treatment with hydrogen peroxide will remove necessary humectants and dry out the reed excessively.
I would not reccommend the mouthwashes because they contain other ingredients to make them palatible (sugars) and their ablility to kill mold and mildew and spores is not very good. Reeds are really pretty sensitive (in a negative sense) to agents that will kill bacteria and mold and often treatments may sanitize them but they will not play well afterward. Drying the reeds well after playing and storing them properly (depends on your environment) will help reduce mold growth. You should also use good oral hygiene and food particles imbedded in the reeds will be less of a problem.
The Doctor
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Author: Keil
Date: 2003-08-31 02:56
I've soaked my reeds in mouthwash before, not as a standard practice, and have found that it neither harms nor betters the playing conditions of my reeds. When I do "soak" them, and I use this term very loosely, I simply dip them in a couple of time, then dip them in some clean water and let them air dry. Nothing too detrimental as I have found but then again, it's just a thought and definitely not something I would recommend as a standard practice for reed care.
I probably shoulda put some kind of disclaimer with that. In future I will remember.
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Author: Brenda
Date: 2003-08-31 03:30
I don't understand why reeds would have a smell when dipped in hydrogen peroxide - in any case there should only be a small amount added to water, so you're not nearly using it full strength.
Disinfecting mouthwash should kill germs and shouldn't have sugars in them, if you're using the ones that are disagreeable enough to do the job right (ask your dentist for a recommendation).
Diluted solutions of either should be used regularly, not when the mold has already developed. It's too late then. I don't think you'd wash your dishes only after mold grows on them and continue to use them in the meantime. You'd clean them with every use, wouldn't you?
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Author: harpovitovandoren
Date: 2003-08-31 04:07
As far as the mouthwash treatments go - you might try using some mouthwash in your mouth instead of on the reed. The Doc is right regarding oral hygiene. My understanding is that saliva breaks the cane down. I now soak my reed briefly in water and dry it off with a napkin or tissue and then play it. I also rinse my mouth well with water before playing. If your reeds are so funky that they require mouthwash or peroxide or anything else it's time for some fresh cane. Also after playing I rinse the reed off with water, dry it and put it back on the mouthpiece. Also anything you might use on your lips such as chapstick or lipstick is not advised. These are not extreme measures and I still catch myself moistening the reed in my mouth (tough habit to break because I was not taught otherwise). Following these simple steps have prolonged the life of my reeds (vintage Selmer Soloist). I always liked to wet the reed and flatten it on a piece of plate glass by rubbing with my thumb. Now I don't contact the reed directly while doing this but use some tissue or even a paper towel. These steps work for me. There are so many exotic ways that people treat and condition their reeds - I'm sure a book could be written or already has been. Some people rub their reeds with newspaper - the carbon gets in there and closes the pores and stabilizes the cane. It will also turn your reed black. Some people soak the reed in milk. The milkfat does the same? Pretty cheesy I think but whatever works for you I guess!
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2003-08-31 08:16
Try soaking them in a denture-cleansing solution (water with an efferdent tablet, for example). This can help to get rid of the accumulating layer of grime. As for bad-smelling reeds, can't say I've had that problem since high school. Make sure you dry excess moisture off your reeds after playing. If they become discolored and smelly, toss 'em.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: CharmOne
Date: 2003-08-31 09:16
Doctor wrote:
"I sell ReedLife reed treatment"
Do you have a home website for that?
Thanks,
CharmOne
Post Edited (2003-08-31 09:29)
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Author: Bob A
Date: 2003-08-31 13:09
Just remember, kids sitting around sniffing reeds sure beats kids sitting arround sniffing glue.
Bob A
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Author: BobD
Date: 2003-08-31 13:34
Personally I don't find the odor of hydrogen peroxide objectionable. A reed will probably, with time, take on an odor based on what the player has had in his mouth. As Doc mentioned, it all starts with good dental hygiene.....brush your teeth.
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Author: LeWhite
Date: 2003-08-31 13:57
CharmOne-
www.doctorsprod.com
I would reccomend the Doctor's Products SOOO highly, I use quite a few of his products. They are so good I don't even use stuff you buy in music stores... I've thrown it all out. I haven't tried his reed treatment products yet, because I don't have this problem. But maybe you should!
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2003-08-31 16:59
No barbs intended - just some clarifications. Our saliva does not contain enzymes that will break down cellulose. They may in fact break down some of the oils and carbohydrate found in reeds over time which act as humectants. The hydrogen peroxide that should be used is the pharmacy grade 3% solution. The stronger strengths e.g. 20% are not available in the U.S. "over the counter". Benzoyl Peroxide (up to 12% in OTC preparations) should not be used on reeds. Listerine "kills bacteria" but does not say anything about mold (my own tests indicate that it is gives very poor performance on vegetative mold and nothing on spores), and does contain sugars (sorbatol, polyethylene glycol, and a host of other things) and saccharin as a sweetening agent.
(Disclaimer - I sell ReedLife reed treatment) The use of oxidizing agents such as peroxide or other stabilized oxidizing agents has a two fold benefit because it physically removes and destroys (by release of molecular oxygen bubbles) dead skin (from lips), other organic materials such as small food particles, but also kills vegetative mold and spores with a contact time of at least 15 minutes. The addition of humectants to the stabilized oxidizing agent in ReedLife is a benefit, in my opinion, because it allows quicker and more thorough rehydration and water retention properties of the reed. Only your own use and experience with this product or other products will allow you to determine if it is useful for you.
The Doctor
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Author: William
Date: 2003-08-31 19:52
Smelly reeds??? I believe that prevention is best--and always use a toothbrush vigorusly before I play any of my instruments, clarinet, sax and even flute. That's right, before practice, rehearsals, gigs--even after breaks where I might sample some food or drink. All of my instrument cases have a tube of paste and a brush, and they all get used. Call me obsessted, anal or whatever--but my reeds never become "smelly" (although my playing might occassionally "stink"--but that's usually lake of practice).
It also helps to frequently clean the mouthpiece.
Good oral hygene is my answer to your "unique" reed problem.
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