Sterilization of polycarbonate mouthpieces

Leland · Post by **Leland** » Mon Aug 30, 2004 12:13 am

Wouldn't antibacterial hand soap do just as well?

Or maybe Lysol -- after all, that's what the Center For Disease Control personnel use to wash off their clean suits.

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Mon Aug 30, 2004 12:58 am

Why not just put it in the dishwasher? Don't use the heat-dry cycle of course. Just let the detergent and hot water do its work.

There are lots of polycarbonate kitchen appliances that are dishwasher-safe, so a mouthpiece should be just fine.

Lee Stofer · Post by **Lee Stofer** » Mon Aug 30, 2004 8:00 am

I would suggest just washing it thoroughly with soap and warm water. That is what I regularly do with mine, and it works fine. And, since the lexan polycarbonate mouthpieces do not have plating and the associated pores in the metal, I think it is easier to keep clean. I have noticed that, upon a couple of occasions when I have played a metal mouthpiece for a gig after having switched to using the Kelly, after the gig for a couple of hours I notice a metallic "aftertaste". Has anyone else experienced that?

dopey · Post by **dopey** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 8:09 pm

it may not melt, but i bet money it would become soft and mushy.. and u wouldnt' wanna deform the mouthpiece at all..

i'd just use something that doesnt' involve heat...

imperialbari · Post by **imperialbari** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 8:30 pm

Please forgive this far out question from a simple farm boy:

Are these things going to propagate, it they don't go through some sort of sterilization?

Please don't tell me about the anatomical details. I am just so shy. Especially through early spring, when any failed sterilization reveals itself.

Klaus

imperialbari · Post by **imperialbari** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 9:02 pm

Oh, I am well aware of your potentials, Schleeps-in-a-cello!

Your current avatar reveals five effective tools, where the average Viagra customer would be fully content with just one.

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 10:55 pm

Jacob Morgan wrote:it may not melt, but i bet money it would become soft and mushy.. and u wouldnt' wanna deform the mouthpiece at all..

i'd just use something that doesnt' involve heat...

Okay, Jacob, you're on. As long as your wager isn't ridiculous, I'll even spring for the mouthpieces and measurement. I'm saying that they'll survive on the top rack of my dishwasher through a normal wash cycle without so much as a millimeter of permanent distortion.

The military uses polycarbonate for messware a lot and they throw everything in the dishwasher. Here are some mess trays made for use in the stockade:

http://west.loadup.com/military/surplus/58171.html

The rating of 100C is just a convenient way of saying that you shouldn't use anything much hotter than boiling water. Polycarbonate retains its shape up to 132C, actually.

Google for dishwasher-safe lexan kitchenware

Doug@GT · Post by **Doug@GT** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 7:40 am

bloke wrote:
that stuff will kill anything.

Are you absolutely certain?

Yep.

Doug@GT · Post by **Doug@GT** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 10:44 am

schlepporello wrote: He takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'.

Timex Teddy.

imperialbari · Post by **imperialbari** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 11:36 am

A serious question for schlepborreliosis, very related to the main topic of this thread:

Do you actually wash your hands, take a shower, and don a clean shirt before each new avatar?

Because then they may not be sickening after all!

Klaus