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Re: Disinfecting techniques

Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2020-10-13 21:19

NOLA Ken wrote:

> Sanitizing mouthpieces, reeds, cases and swabs is simple stuff.
> But what about clarinet bodies? A community band I am a member
> of is trying to resume rehearsals with a pretty extensive
> health protocal. In that protocal is the line "Clarinets,
> Saxes, oboes and Bassoons need hand sanitizers or wipes to
> clean hands and instruments."

My first question, given what you tell us the protocol says, is, why does it only apply to those four reed instruments? Why don't the flutes, brass players and percussionists need to do the same?

For myself, I'm still wary of any group of wind instrument players playing in an enclosed space or even outdoors without plenty of distance among the players. IMO, the need to set up "extensive" protocols suggests that it probably isn't especially safe to rehearse together at all. But, I do realize that there are musicians everywhere who are getting tired of playing by themselves in a practice studio and just want to get together again.

> My question is, given that ethyl alcohol seems to be the best
> sanitizing agent for COVID-19, what is the effect of rubbing a
> grenadilla clarinet body and bore with ethyl alcohol?
>

I've used IPA (isopropyl alcohol) as a quick occasional wipe. It evaporates quickly and doesn't seem to do any damage. I share your concern about the pads (in your later post), so I wouldn't spray sanitizer directly at the instrument. I'd spray some onto a cloth and then wipe the clarinet down with it.

You don't say so, but I hope this protocol applies to cleaning the exterior of the instrument and not the bore? They aren't asking you to run an alcohol-moistened swab through the inside, are they?

> Given that many ethyl alcohol sanitizers have other ingredients
> such as glycerin and hydrogen peroxide in them, what effect
> might these additional ingredients have on grenadilla bodies.
>
I think glycerin is probably there as a skin moisturizer - you can probably find sanitizers that don't have it. Sanimist only lists flavoring, coloring and water in addition to the alcohol. I'm certain you can get alcohol-based sanitizers that don't include Peroxide, although, now that I look at the contents list (with strong magnification), the small spray bottles I bought at the supermarket do contain both glycerin and peroxide. You could empty a small spray bottle (of hand sanitizer) and fil it with straight rubbing alcohol, which is generally 70% or 75% either isopropyl or ethyl alcohol (the rest is water put in to dilute the alcohol to 70%). I have a box of alcohol-impregnated disinfecting gauze pads - also 70% IPA - that I can use occasionally to wipe down the keys of my instruments.

Karl

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Disinfecting techniques new

Dan Shusta

2020-03-12 21:18