Boil your mouthpiece?

[MaryAnn]

well, if you have herpes boiling the mouthpiece isn't going to fix it. You have to boil yourself.

[Donn]

An ordinary pressure cooker will serve for a moderately high temperature option. That's the same principle as the autoclave used to sterilize laboratory and clinic glassware and stuff. Pressurized steam at 250°F will destroy all forms of microbial life. Ordinary kitchen pressure cookers can do that, though medical-quality sterilization takes some technique. If in doubt, run it longer. You're looking for a 15 psi setting, which likely is higher than what you get in cookers with only one pressure regulator weight. Put water in the cooker, set the mouthpiece above the water, latch down the lid, and start the range burner. Wait until steam comes out before you install the regulator. When the regulator starts rocking, you can turn the burner down a little. Keep that going for a half hour (so put plenty of water in beforehand.)

Ideally, it would be better to sterilize the mouthpiece together with a jar, with the mouthpiece inside the jar, so it doesn't become contaminated again right away afterwards. Don't seal the jar tight.

[Donn]

If the issue is microbial, not livestock droppings, plasmodial or acellular slime molds (used to be classified as Myxomycota) would be the most useful natural remedy. They're common in nature and they eat bacteria and fungus spores. While they have a limited ability to get around above ground, their habitat is really rotted wood and the like, so the best bet would be to bury the mouthpiece in a flower bed or something, with a high proportion of organic matter like leaf mold or maybe sawdust. The big pile of spent coffee grounds out back gets regular slime mold flushes, so that appears to be a good bet, but mix with a little regular dirt to get things going faster, and be liberal with the whole thing, shovels full of organic matter is better than a handful.

[toobagrowl]

Boiling your mpc seems a little extreme, unless it's really gross.

I've never boiled any mpc. I just wipe mine out with a rag & disinfectant spray every other rehearsal or so. I will wash them with soap and warm water and a little bristle brush for the backbore/shank only when they are really dirty/nasty

[windshieldbug]

The ONLY way to effectively sterilize a mouthpiece...

[arpthark]

Wouldn't boiling and quick-cooling a mouthpiece waste natural resources ~and~ contribute to climate change as well?

Not to mention the strain of using 3-phase electrical wiring, if one were to undergo this procedure properly.

[Donn]

Thin coat of copper. It has significant anti-microbial action (I'm not making this up.)

[Donn]

Wait for tonal properties to be discovered. I predict, darker.

[tbonesullivan]

Thin coat of copper. It has significant anti-microbial action (I'm not making this up.)

Silver also has significant antimicrobial properties.

If you are gonna go all out, get an autoclave or something more powerful.

[Three Valves]

Can't.

My spendmoneyaphobia is the only thing worse than my germaphobia!!

[tbonesullivan]

Can't.

My spendmoneyaphobia is the only thing worse than my germaphobia!!

I assume the spendmoneyphobia doesn't apply to tuba money?

[Three Valves]

Can't.

My spendmoneyaphobia is the only thing worse than my germaphobia!!

I assume the spendmoneyphobia doesn't apply to tuba money?

It does.

I only buy cheap tubas!!

[Three Valves]

- If you're an incurable germaphobe, and something inside of you compels you to use an anti-bacterial product (in addition to the liquid soap and hot water, you can soak your mouthpiece in this:
...the only problem being that there will be quite a bit left over...

I thought you were supposed to drink that BEFORE you play.

[Biggs]

Why not just put a thin coating of plastic on the mouthpiece - to seal the mouthpiece from any sort of germs, bacteria, viruses, dirt, chemicals, or other contaminants?

A thin coating of latex is 98% effective in sealing out any sort of germs, bacteria, viruses and other contaminants. Some players, however, find that it interferes with subtle aspects of their playing and inhibits resolution in ensemble work.

[peter birch]

Let's get back to the original question and topic. Thanks.

I work in healthcare and we have people (some of whom are actually really clever, too) who constantly confuse the terms sterile and clean - and you need your mouthpiece to be clean. This can be done easily with warm water, washing up liquid, a small brush and paper towels to dry it afterwards. It is as simple as that - wash it after you have used it.
Good oral hygeine before you play will also help

[timothy42b]

Good oral hygeine before you play will also help

Er, not if you eat WHILE you play. Doh.