How often do you clean your mouthpiece?

corbasse · Post by **corbasse** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 1:01 pm

You forgot
E) once a year
F) You're supposed to clean it?

As long as the throat and backbore are more or less silver coloured I don't bother.

Bob Mosso · Post by **Bob Mosso** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 1:09 pm

I'll wipe it dry and blow any excess moisture out each time before putting it away. It seems to stay perfectly clean inside. I'll brush the insides every six months or so (if it needs it or not) when I snake the horn.

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 1:34 pm

Whenever it needs it!

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 4:28 pm

Regarding conventional mouthpieces:

Silver plating is silver plating, whether on the horn or mouthpiece. If you clean it too much, you'll wear off the silver plating sooner to a much more serious concern: brass poisoning. Besides, there are those who would say that the acids in your saliva interact to make for trace amounts of silver nitrate, a natural anti-bacterial, (you know, the stuff put in a newborn's eyes to prevent infections), so over cleaning actually makes things worse.

As for me, whenever it needs it. I'd be more concerned about brushing your teeth regularly and rinsing before playing, and lightly wiping the mouthpiece dry inside when you're done.. That in and of itself takes care of most mouthpiece issues.

quinterbourne · Post by **quinterbourne** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 4:55 pm

Bob1062 wrote:Aw nuts.....

I had "Why" as the last option and it didn't show up!

You would of had to click "update" one more time...

Steve Inman · Post by **Steve Inman** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 5:03 pm

If by "cleaning" you mean soap, water, snake, etc. -- almost never. But then I make sure I'm not blowing chunks of food into the mpc when playing, so my mpcs stay fairly clean.

If by "cleaning" you mean wiping off the playing surface occasionally, and blowing a puff of air through it before putting it away, then I "clean" my mpc once per use.

Cheers,

tofu · Post by **tofu** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 6:18 pm

My gosh - it takes 20 seconds to put it under a faucet or drinking fountain and then wipe it with a paper towel. Take paper towel and twist it up through the shank and your done. Why wouldn't you do it to prevent germs from hanging around.

As for wearing out the silver from this -- pfft

Wyvern · Post by **Wyvern** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 7:17 pm

I clean my mouthpieces when they start looking dirty, with just an occasional brush through.

I too think cleaning teeth before playing is the most important. If I possibly can, at least 95% of the time I will clean my teeth first - but it does have the disadvantage of no snacks in the break!

tubatooter1940 · Post by **tubatooter1940** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 8:04 pm

I clean it everytime I play because I break out in zits in the mouthpiece area after playing long and loud.
I have news about these allergies. I got in to see a dermatologist about this and she (was so smokin' hot the cutest nurses couldn't even come close) perscribed Desonide 0.05% ointment. It is a steroid cream to be rubbed in three times a day and it shortens my heal-up time by at least a day.
I played 4 hours at Felix's Restuarant Friday and 3 hours at Calihan's Irish Bar Saturday with my tuba miked and my actual volume at mezzo-forte and below. I rubbed the Desonide on right after each gig and had NO breakout at all-just a little redness and swelling.

Wednesday, we played a Christmas music hour at the local elementary school-nobody was amplified and I guess I got too loud. I had one zit the next morning despite the Desonide.

Things are going better.

Merry Christmas everyone!
Dennis Gray
tubatooter1940
www.johnreno.com/

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 8:31 pm

hey tubatooter1940:

I am SO glad to hear about that, and that it works for you. My son has hypersensitivity/allergy to metal, and does the same thing. I've had to get DEG nylon cup mouthpieces for him.

He also has eczema, and has a similar ointment for those breakouts.

The next time he's at the doctor for something (it's winter, he's 9, after school gets back in session and the rest of the kids bring back whatever their siblings have, he will be!) I'll ask the doctor if your ointment is approved for children.

I'm soooooooo glad to hear of something like that. He also gets a rash from the nickel parts of the inside of snaps, zippers, and the like, so maybe it will help there, also.

Thanks again!

bort · Post by **bort** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 8:54 pm

I always brush my teeth before playing. I have a toothbrush and toothpaste in my gig bag.

I wipe the saliva crud out my mouthpiece at the end of each rehearsal/performance, but as far as actually taking a mouthpiece brush to it, only when it starts to smell.

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:31 pm

Hmm. Now there's something I hadn't thought of: a can of air for the backbore. I like it. I know what I'm stopping to get Monday on the way home from the day job!

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:36 pm

Why mess around? Get an air horn and do it right!

(hooooooooooooonk!

)

Chen · Post by **Chen** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 4:10 am

Personal hygience is a personal choice. I run water through the mp after I play EVERYTIME I play. I'm getting that spray alcohol thing, I'll use it after I flush the mp with water, just for extra protection. It's like using Listerine.

That said, there is ONE advantage NOT to wash your mouthpiece: you won't ever have to worry about somebody borrowing (or stealing) your mouthpiece.

tubatooter1940 · Post by **tubatooter1940** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 8:33 am

I think the alcohol spray or wipe down is a great idea. Thanks!
It shouldn't hurt a plastic Kelly mouthpiece.
We negotiate a sandwitch and three beers per picker at every bar and/or restaurant we play. Thank the Lord beer doesn't clog valves. We hope for a blackened grouper sandwitch but will settle for a burger. We order the food on our third set so we can eat on our last break-chug the final beer (we make the last one ice water for the loadout and drive home) and have time to hit the head for a mouth rinse (and...you know) before the last set.
I chem clean once a year and so far the old King has been playing open and clear.

Eupher6 · Post by **Eupher6** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 6:41 pm

Just a rinse with water a couple times a week, and I brush it through with a mouthpiece brush when I soak the horn and parts in the bathtub every couple of months or so.

My Besson 967 is remarkably intolerant of dirt and crud and bogs down long before the mouthpiece starts showing any signs of foreign biological critters.

oldbandnerd · Post by **oldbandnerd** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 6:58 pm

I have a LOUD stainless steele mouthpiece . I just rines it out after each use . With warm water when I have it .It stays clean as a whistle .