 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Sulyman
Date: 2025-07-18 09:50
Like using it to clean your clarinet interior for 2-3 years without cleaning the swab. Would anything happen to the clarinet? Changes in tone quality, projection, etc.?
Post Edited (2025-07-18 09:52)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2025-07-18 19:16
I asked Google's AI, "what happens if you don't clean a clarinet swab for a long time." The answer I got is below. I only feel agreement with the first part about bacteria etc. - the rest seems unlikely.
>>>>>>>>>>
If a clarinet swab is not cleaned regularly, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria, mold, and unpleasant odors, potentially leading to damage to the clarinet and affecting the player's health. Specifically, moisture and debris can accumulate, causing the swab to stick inside the instrument or leading to pad damage.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Mold and Bacteria Growth:
The moisture and organic matter (like saliva and food particles) collected by the swab create an environment where mold and bacteria can thrive. This can lead to a foul smell and potentially impact the player's health if inhaled.
Damage to the Clarinet:
If the swab is not cleaned, it can become stuck inside the clarinet, especially if the material gets wet and expands. Additionally, moisture absorbed by the swab can transfer to the clarinet's pads, causing them to swell and create air leaks, making the instrument difficult to play, according to Luther High School.
Difficulty Playing:
Air leaks caused by damaged pads can make it harder to produce a clear sound and maintain consistent notes on the clarinet. This can be frustrating for the player and hinder their progress.
Reduced Lifespan:
Regular cleaning of the swab and the clarinet helps to prevent these issues and extends the overall lifespan of the instrument, says Sloan School of Music.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: kdk
Date: 2025-07-18 21:27
Sulyman wrote:
> Like using it to clean your clarinet interior for 2-3 years
> without cleaning the swab. Would anything happen to the
> clarinet? Changes in tone quality, projection, etc.?
>
I would worry more about what pathogens might develop on the swab and, from the swab, in your case. Why would you use a swab that long without either washing it or replacing it?
Karl
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-07-18 21:48
You'll get a mixture of cork grease, oil, condensation and dust/crud building up and ultimately occluding the toneholes, especially the smaller diameter top joint toneholes and the speaker tube which will make the top joint notes stuffy, resistant and flat.
This is why you should keep your pullthrough clean (wash it every few weeks) as well as having your clarinet serviced every year to two yearly intervals depending on how much playing you're doing as the toneholes can only be thoroughly cleaned once all the keys have been removed.
And to avoid getting your pullthrough all covered in cork grease, don't use it to dry out your sockets after playing - use a piece of paper towel to do that and only use your pullthrough to dry the bore after or during playing.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2025-07-18 23:15
I use a pull through silk swab only for the condensation. It doesn't appear to have gotten particularly dirty and does not manifest any apparent presence of contaminants. I use my swab until it becomes ragged and torn (usually about five years), then replace it with a new one.
I have not had ANY ill effects from not cleaning the silk pull through, particularly NOT any issues with pads which are separated from the interior of the horn by the thickness of the bore.
I have had a friend experience some flattening in the lowest tube notes in the clarion register that I believe MAY be attributed to build up of dirt and moisture over the years that MAY accumulate in the undercutting of the tone holes. If you get your clarinet serviced by someone every year who DOES NOT think to scrub this area with all the keys off, you'd wind up with that problem anyway.
..............Paul Aviles
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-07-18 23:46
Washing your pullthrough regularly increases how effective it is at absorbing moisture from the bore compared to one that's got dirty and oily/greasy over time.
And pulling it s-l-o-w-l-y through the bore instead of whipping it through at breakneck speed (which I see many players do) allows it to absorb the condensation as it goes, plus that's much less of a risk of it getting caught on the speaker tube provided it's the correct size and fully unfurled before use.
I always drop the cord in from the bell and mop the assembled instrument (minus the mouthpiece) as that's much less of a faff compared to aiming to get the weight through the top end of the bore. Then separate all the joints and dry the sockets (with the piece of kitchen roll I roll up and store in the case solely for that purpose).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Sulyman
Date: 2025-07-19 07:08
I took it to the repairman who was one of the best in my city and he didn't see anything dirty inside nor in the tone holes.
"I would worry more about what pathogens might develop on the swab and, from the swab, in your case. Why would you use a swab that long without either washing it or replacing it?
Karl"
No one told me to clean the swab. I thought it was unnecessary to not clean it. If someone told me how important it is, I would have cleaned it every week.
Post Edited (2025-07-19 07:09)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
