I am just getting over a lovely strep throat infection, and this has reminded me of the importance of instrument hygiene. Yesterday, I cleaned and sanitized my trumpet, trombone, and flute and changed the reed on my clarinet. Not properly cleaning your instrument and mouthpiece can lead to re-infection and more sickness (saxophone lung is a thing!). In addition to CDC guidelines of proper hand washing (sing the ABC’s), covering your coughs and sneezes, and staying home when you are sick, there are some additional steps you should take to clean and sanitize your instrument after being sick.
Mrs. Owen’s Instrument Hygiene Top 5
- Clean and sanitize your mouthpiece regularly (daily or AT LEAST weekly)
- Wash your hands after playing your instrument
- Do not put your hands in your mouth while you are playing (or ever?!?!)
- Woodwinds: change your reed after being sick and take it off after playing to dry properly
- Do not eat before or during playing your instrument (bacteria love to grow on all that food you are blowing into your instrument)
Amro Music put together an AMAZING series of videos on how to clean and sanitize your instrument. We will be watching these in class soon. I have also linked them below. Regular cleaning and maintenance will go a long way to keep your instrument working properly AND keep you healthy!
Low brass (tuba and baritone) cleaning is a little more involved. I plan to take these instruments in for professional cleaning on a regular basis. Low brass students should, at the very least, wash and sanitize their mouthpieces regularly.
Percussionists should wash their hands regularly. All percussion equipment is shared among percussionists in five classes (that’s a lot of hands…), so proper hand washing is critical.
High Desert Middle School Band 