By Angela Briggs


Regular instrument cleaning and maintenance is essential to keeping them in proper working condition. It is advisable to have your instruments inspected and serviced by a professional on regular basis. The inspection is quite important because you will know whether or not your instruments need to be cleaned.

First, you need to keep the instruments dry at all times. Nickel or brass musical instruments can corrode easily if they are exposed to moisture. This is because moisture contains oxygen which causes oxidation when it mixes with water. You should always keep your instruments dry in order to prevent corrosion. Also, wooden instruments absorb water. This can make them expand thus distorting their original shape. Ensure that excess moisture is wiped out so as to make your instruments serve you for long.

The woodwind instruments have pads that are used to cover the holes so as to produce different sounds. If the pads absorb water, they become wet and may not be able to cover the holes well. This makes the instrument unable to produce high quality sound. To improve the quality of sound produced by the woodwind instrument, ensure that the pads are dry at all times.

Acids from the body may also cause harm to your music instruments. These acids usually come out of the body through a process known as perspiration. They include hydrochloric acid, lactic, and many others. Such acids attack metals such as brass, aluminum and nickel. To prevent your instruments from being attacked by these acids, wipe out the perspiration every time you use your musical instruments.

The saliva from the mouth also contains some acids that may attack metal. For instance, carbonic acid is usually present in the saliva. Other acids are also formed in the mouth depending on the kind of food eaten and the hygienic condition of the mouth. Soft solder is affected by acids from saliva. Areas that are soldered can be eaten out entirely by these saliva acids. That is why the inside of musical instruments should be cleaned thoroughly in order to remove these acids.

Water is sometimes used to lubricate the rotary parts of musical instruments. You should note that water contains salts that can harm your instruments. If you use salty water to lubricate the instruments, you will see some white substances deposited on parts of your instrument after the water has dried. Such substances can make the instruments not to work properly. It is advisable that you use distilled water if you cannot get oil.

Foreign materials can also harm your instruments. Food particles or any other stuff can cause blockage in wind instruments. Note that instruments with some blockages cannot produce quality sound. Materials that cause such blockage should be cleaned immediately. Remember that they may find their way to your lungs as you blow the instrument, which is actually health hazard.

Sometimes corrosion occurs on piston valves. Unwanted materials can also build up in the same valves making them not to perform their task. Dirt between the pistons can cause a lot of harm to the instruments. This calls for regular inspection of your musical instruments. If you want quality job done, consider hiring a professional to undertake the instrument cleaning task.




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