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Re: Cleaning a mouthpeace

Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2010-06-01 15:49

(Disclaimer - I sell a mouthpiece cleaner)
There are 3 types of grunge that can foul your mouthpiece - the common calcium carbonate white kind, other dried mineral deposits, and dried food particles inside the MP.

Vinegar and lemon juice contain acetic and citric acids respectively which will dissolve the calcium carbonate deposits after 1, 2, or 3 treatments and possibly a little brushing with a soft tooth brush. The LimeAway contains phosphoric acid which does about the same thing. None of them will remove the other mineral deposits that are not carbonates and probably will not remove the dried food deposits inside the mouthpiece without long soaking. Possibly the best method of cleaning is rinsing out your MP after each use with cool water.

A very important caution is not to use hot water on the MP - this is especially true for older Selmer mouthpieces and other older hard rubber mouthpieces because they may turn to the classic shades of green or brown within a short exposure to hot water (the sulphur used in vulcanizing reacts with chemicals in water to form very insoluble brown and green compounds).

L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com

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