cleaning out the horn after being sick

[Chuck(G)]

The CDC link that you provided was specific to killing anthrax and uses a much higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide than is available commercially to the average tubist.

Harold, see:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/quer ... t=Abstract

The effect of H2O2 on adenovirus types 3 and 6, adenoassociated virus type 4, rhinoviruses 1A, 1B, and type 7, myxoviruses, influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus, strain Long, and coronavirus strain 229E was studied in vitro, using different H2O2 concentration and timec of exposure. H2O2 in a 3 percent concentration inactivated all the viruses under study within 1--30 min. Coronavirus and influenza viruses were found to be most sensitive. Reoviruses, adenoviruses and adenoassociated virus were relatively stable. H2O2 is a convenient means for virus inactivation.

(I've tried to stay away from citing "fringe medicine" groups, like the idiots who inject H202 intravenously).

[tubamirum]

I wish I could take lacquer off with hot water. If you can, it's ready to come off anyway. If you have stripped lacquer with hot water, I would welcome knowing your method.

[elimia]

Wow, this has sparked a neat thread.

I am a big environmentalist, so I won't use bleach for anything. I don't buy it, haven't had any around for years. The process and byproducts of making bleach, not worth it to me just to get socks 'whiter than white'.

To digress...I have really enjoyed the new bleach commercials showing how good bleach is to 'remove body grime in your clothes'. It's a good thing, because people are dying left and right due to body grime in clothes It never ceases to amaze me how many different ways companies use scare tactics to rush consumers out, in their irrational fears and insecurities, to buy more stuff. Ok, off my rant...

I clean at home with a vinegar/water mix. I think the solution is to bathe the horn in WARM water, a little mild soap thrown in for good measure, and run a little bit of vinegar through it.

For the record - Hydrogen peroxide is a wicked oxidizer, it would seem to be a good alternative.

[gwwilk]

/Cold Water On
This thread is a perfect example of how fears can lead to irrational and dangerous behavior. As a practicing physician who treats wind musicians, I've never broached the subject of 'disinfecting' one's instrument after an upper respiratory illness, or any other for that matter. What was accurately stated in this thread is that once you've had the particular illness that the virus in question produces, you're immune. How else could I, as a practicing physician not acquire every single illness I treat? It doesn't happen, but on occasion a new virus does come around and I'm laid up just like everyone else who acquires it.

In point of fact, I've been spending most of my time this week off work with the worst case of laryngitis I've ever had. I tried to return to seeing patients Tuesday, but after just an hour I had no way to communicate except with sign language because of my hoarseness. The additional unfortunate aspect of laryngitis is that voice rest is the tried and true treatment, and that's not possible while working at a job that requires social interaction.

I'm not going to sterilize my tubas, even though they've provided me with considerable respite (and are therefore 'contaminated') from the inevitable boredom that comes from remaining mute most of the time. I've seen a few good movies, too.

We live in a generally harmonious relationship with a sea of microorganisms throughout our environment. You can't sterilize the world we live in, nor would you really want to. Eat right, live sensibly, exercise, be positive, and have the right parents. Oh, and listen to your physician.
/Cold Water Off

[Chuck(G)]

Sorry Chuck,

Harold, we could go back and forth on this forever. But here's another paper (in English):

http://www.unc.edu/depts/spice/dis/Disi ... thcare.pdf

Alternatively, you could just autoclave your tuba...

[ThomasDodd]

Alternatively, you could just autoclave your tuba...

Try locating an autoclave big enough...

Maybe a kiln?

[Rick Denney]

I wish I could take lacquer off with hot water. If you can, it's ready to come off anyway. If you have stripped lacquer with hot water, I would welcome knowing your method.

Step 1. Start with a tuba lacquered with air-dried nitrocellulose. (Hint: That includes most older German instruments, but not old Kings and all Yamahas that have catalyzed lacquers, and maybe not newer German instruments.)

Step 2. Fill bathtub with the hottest water available.

Step 3. Place tuba in bathtub.

Step 4. Wipe tuba.

Rick "thinking the old nitrocellulose lacquers came off by themselves eventually anyway" Denney

[Chuck(G)]

2. The hydrogen peroxide concentrations that are used according to this article are much higher than what is available to the individual at the drugstore.

Funny, but I thought it said:

Other disadvantages of hypochlorites include corrosiveness to metals in high concentrations (>500 ppm), inactivation by organic matter, discoloring or “bleachingâ€

[Dan Schultz]

OK guys! I'm gonna listen to anterux and Dr. wwilk. There is absolutely no reason to panic about a few germs in your tuba. Give it a bath in warm (I SAID WARM) water and Dawn once in a while, have it chem-cleaned every year or so.... and don't worry about it

[Dan Schultz]

OK guys! I'm gonna listen to anterux and Dr. wwilk. There is absolutely no reason to panic about a few germs in your tuba. Give it a bath in warm (I SAID WARM) water and Dawn once in a while, have it chem-cleaned every year or so.... and don't worry about it

You are absolutely right Dan, but this thread started as what to do after you were finished being sick.

OK.... I understand. But the fact still remains that you are not going to get the same bug again. There's no reason to get into a panic about viri lingering in your horn.

[Anterux]

Ditto.

[ThomasDodd]

This is much ado about nothing.

Doesn't that describe most topics here after the 1st 2 pages ?

[tubatooter1940]

If you use the bath tub,remember you got to get the goo out if the horn and then you got to get the ring out of the tub.Big job!

[Rev Rob]

For those of you who use a silver plated mouthpiece. Silver is a natural anti microbial material. Just keep your mouthpiece clean. A rinse in warm water and drying with a paper towel should do the trick. As with the rest of your tuba - blow and don't inhale.

[mammoth2ba]

Let the oligodynamic effect run its course......and stop worrying:

According to the following Wikipedia page, brass is "naturally germicidal":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brass" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

"Germicidal Properties: The copper in brass makes brass germicidal, via the oligodynamic effect. For example, brass doorknobs disinfect themselves of many bacteria within eight hours.[12] This effect is important in hospitals, but useful in many contexts."

If "self-disinfecting" within 8 hours (overnight), that should obviate any necessity to "sterilize" brass instruments.

... and Wikipedia should be an accepted source for any debate...

A quick search of "Oligodynamic effect" will yield numerous corroborating entries (though missing the "comedy" of impugning the source quoted initially), to wit:

http://en.allexperts.com/e/o/ol/oligodynamic_effect.htm" target="_blank" target="_blank

"Oligodynamic effect
The oligodynamic effect (greek oligos = few, dynamis = force ) was discovered in 1893 by the Swiss (Karl Wilhelm von Nägeli) as a toxic effect of metal-ions on living cells, algae, moulds, spores, fungi, virus, prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms, even in relatively low concentrations. This antimicrobial effect is shown by ions of:mercury,silver,copper,iron,lead,zinc,bismuth,gold,aluminium and other metals.

Especially heavy metals show this effect. The exact mechanism of action is still unknown. Data from silver suggest that these ions denature proteins (enzymes) of the target cell or organism by binding to reactive groups resulting in their precipitation and inactivation."

I'll leave the additional research to interested members.......