Sousaphone Tidiness Question

[Z-Tuba Dude]

Dear Esteemed Sousaphists:

How does one avoid getting "schmutz" (i.e. - oil, water,...etc.) on one's shirt, from the holes at the bottom of the valves, when playing a sousaphone? It doesn't happen all the time, but when it does, it is a real pain to clean the (usually) white shirt!

I tried cutting the toe end of an old sock, and rubberbanding it over the holes at the bottom of the valves, but the gunk soaked through, anyway!

Then I thought to myself: "Self, you can't be the only person who has this problem!", "Let me ask the loyal TubeNet brotherhood!".

So....what do you guys do???

[Dean E]

Dear Esteemed Sousaphists:

How does one avoid getting "schmutz" (i.e. - oil, water,...etc.) on one's shirt, from the holes at the bottom of the valves, when playing a sousaphone? It doesn't happen all the time, but when it does, it is a real pain to clean the (usually) white shirt!

I tried cutting the toe end of an old sock, and rubberbanding it over the holes at the bottom of the valves, but the gunk soaked through, anyway!

Then I thought to myself: "Self, you can't be the only person who has this problem!", "Let me ask the loyal TubeNet brotherhood!".

So....what do you guys do???

There's a prior thread here:
viewtopic.php?t=16840&highlight=prophylactics