Author: Dutchy
Date: 2009-01-03 04:06
Quote:
it's for topical (external) use only
Quote:
it's poisonous to ingest or inhale the fumes
I rinse the reed off under running water after squirting it down with the alcohol. And I certainly don't inhale. ![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif)
I would question whether it would affect the bark, because in order to make herbal essences, you have to soak the material in the alcohol for a long time, and I'm certainly not soaking the reed, I'm only rinsing it off with the alcohol.
Here's the thing: I'm not using it because I'm squeamish about germs--I'm using it because....here's my train of thought:
you have a permanent colony of bacteria that live in your mouth. These bacteria form a film on your teeth. Their waste products are acidic and cause holes (cavities) in your teeth. It stands to reason that these bacteria are going to colonize anything else they come in contact with that remains damp for a period of time--it's well-known that you should change your toothbrush every month or so because it's going to be colonized and bursting with a thriving population of these bacteria.
So. I think it's logical to assume that these bacteria are going to colonize your reed, too, and that even in the limited amount of time they have to breed and multiply before the reed dries out and sends them dormant, they are going to produce enough acidic waste products to affect the reed. And then, of course, as soon as you wet the reed again, they all perk up and go back into business, excreting acidic waste products. So, on and off, wet and dry, it all adds up incrementally, a little bit more waste product generated during every playing session. So, I ask, why allow this to happen? Why not nuke the bacteria with alcohol, or at least as many of them as you can, after every session, thus slowing down the inevitable wearing out of the reed?
Thus, I am experimenting with sanitizing the reed after playing. I'll let you know in five years whether it works, if I still have the reeds I'm playing on now.
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The Oboe BBoard
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