 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Le9669
Date: 2012-10-22 00:57
What are some of the safest and most effective methods of cleaning mouthpieces?
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2012-10-22 01:31
What are you trying to cleaned off of it?
For those white mineral deposits that build up on some players' mouthpieces (mine, certainly) I use straight vinegar (others dilute it - I've never caused any damage using it full strength). I use a shot glass and carefully put the mouthpiece tip-down in as much vinegar as will fit into the shot glass with the mouthpiece in it. Soak it at least 15 minutes, but I've often left the mouthpiece soaking for hours (usually because I've gone on to do something else and forgotten it). Don't soak the tenon cork.
I've read here that some players use lemon juice, which I assume has the same mild acidic properties as vinegar.
For just general grunge that isn't hardened onto the rubber, just soap and cool water should be fine. Be careful to use something non-abrasive to wipe the grunge out of the inside. If you swab regularly (I know - there are players who are deathly afraid of damaging the mouthpiece by running a swab through it), there probably won't be much of a grunge buildup in the first place.
Karl
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Author: Le9669
Date: 2012-10-22 01:53
Thanks Karl! I think you told me almost everything that I wanted to know. As for the lemon juice, we're talking about store bought lemon juice that comes in a plastic container?? Also, I'm quite skeptical for those of you out there... Are mouthpieces really THAT fragile that silk swabs will alter how they play? I'm not sure about that... Unfortunately, I don't want to risk experimenting to find out. I've asked professionals about this but I have the feeling that they too are not entirely sure and are probably saying that they're too fragile because they've heard someone else say it.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2012-10-22 02:28
Store-bought commercial lemon juice from the kitchen dept of your local store. Works as well as vinegar, but tastes better. I've swabbed all my mouthpieces for years, and the only damage was when I dropped a glass Leblanc piece that was so good that I wept. Use a silk swab.
Tony F.
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Author: Campana
Date: 2012-10-22 07:57
Do we have to differentiate between a manufactured vinegar (dilute acetic acid) and malt vinegar which is brewed and as far as I know has the same properties as wine
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Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2012-10-22 10:33
Any kind of vinegar is fine. I prefer rice vinegar - only because it has a milder "bouquet". The only kind I haven't tried is red wine vinegar - I keep that for salads.
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2012-10-22 11:48
Plain white vinegar off the supermarket shelf has one advantage - it's very cheap.
Karl
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Author: marcia
Date: 2012-10-22 16:55
I also use the white vineger (dilute), shot glass, tip down method. And for added protection I put a cotton ball in the bottom of the glass before putting in the mp. And I will use the cotton ball to swab out the indside of the mp as well. It collects all manner of interesting coloured "grunge" on it.
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Author: LJBraaten
Date: 2012-10-22 17:11
I once had a black mouthpiece turn brown after dipping it in (clear cider) vinegar (older 60s-70s HS*). I now just use vinegar on the inside. YMMV.
But it does now match my Cocobolo barrel....
Laurie
Laurie (he/him)
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Author: Slowoldman
Date: 2012-10-22 18:22
You can also get it by squeezing a lemon, often found in home refrigerators!
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2012-10-22 21:20
"I once had a black mouthpiece turn brown after dipping it in (clear cider) vinegar (older 60s-70s HS*). I now just use vinegar on the inside. YMMV.
But it does now match my Cocobolo barrel....
Laurie"
I've never had a colour change with vinegar or lemon juice, but I have had exactly this effect when I rinsed a hard rubber mouthpiece in warm water. Only use cold water with hard rubber or your m/p will look like chocolate. I now have a Kinderclari with this colouration.
Tony F.
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Author: The Doctor ★2017
Date: 2012-10-23 00:03
(Disclaimer - I sell a dual action mouthpiece cleaner and sanitizer product.)
Actually, deposits can be of several kinds. The carbonates - primarily the white calcium carbonate - can be dissolved by mild acids such as citric (lemon juice) or acetic (vinegar) or some oxidizing agents. There can be other mineral deposits from silava which are not readily dissolved by mild acids and possibly the worst deposit is the dried organic (food particles) within the mouthpiece which is a breeding ground for mold, bacteria, virus and attendant smell. Mild acids will not, in short exposure of 10-15 minutes, dissolve or sanitize the organic material. Always use cool water in any cleaning process. IME the old Selmer mouthpieces are particularily prone to change color to tan or OD green with some cleaning products and especially when using warm to hot water.
If a mouthpiece is rinsed in clean water after most every use there should be no great amount of accumulation of chemical deposits and not eating or rinsing the mouth before playing also does not deposit much organic material and rinsing also removes these organic deposits. Some players seem to get more deposits than others and therefore need more attention to their mouthpieces.
L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com
www.chedevillemp.com
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Author: LJBraaten
Date: 2012-10-23 15:11
Tony - there probably was some warm water involvement in that cleaning - before reading this thread everything I have read about cleaning mouthpieces says " mild soap and warm water." I now know better.
Laurie
Laurie (he/him)
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