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Wednesday 27 November 2013

The Importance Of Instrument Cleaning

By Angela Briggs


Inspecting your musical instruments to know whether they are in good working condition is quite important. You can either do the inspection yourself or hire a professional. This article discusses the importance of musical instrument cleaning and how it should be done.

Moisture can cause corrosion on some metals. For instance, corrosion on nickel and brass occurs due to chemical reaction known as oxidation. This reaction takes place in the presence of moisture. This fact clearly shows the importance of keeping your instruments dry at all times. Wood instruments should be kept dry to prevent them from absorbing moisture that lead to cracking. Excess moisture on wood can make it expand and eventually split. Make sure that any moisture seen on the surface of these instruments is wiped out immediately in order to make them last long.

Certain instruments such as the woodwind have pads that cover holes that are used for producing different tones. When the pads become wet, they cannot properly cover the holes so as to produce quality sound. It is advisable that you keep the pads dry so that they can perform their work as required. Wipe out any moisture that settles on them using a dry piece of cloth. This will make them remain dry all the time.

Body Acids can also cause harm to your instruments. Perspiration from hands leads to production of some acids that can affect metals. Such acids may include lactic, traces of hydrochloric acid, among others. Some of the perspiration is alkaline but may be harmful just like the acids. You should keep the instruments free from perspiration by cleaning them regularly. Consider wiping out all the perspiration after using the instrument.

There are also other acids contained in the saliva. An example of such acids is the carbonic acid. Others are formed in the mouth depending on the foods consumed and the cleanliness of the mouth. Such acids affect solder that is used on certain instruments. Make sure that you thoroughly clean the inner side of the gadgets so as to remove such acids.

There are people who use water instead of oil to lubricate their instruments. Hard water is not suitable for lubrication. This is because it has salts that can attack the devices and reduce their efficiency. They do this by forming white deposits on your musical instruments after use. You should opt for distilled water any time you want to lubricate your instruments. They water should be wiped out immediately after using them to prevent further attacks.

Unwanted materials can also affect your musical instruments. Foreign materials such as food particles can enter into your wind instruments and cause blockage. When blocked, these instruments cannot produce high quality sound. Also, such unwanted materials can enter into your lungs and cause health complications. So, it is important that you remove such materials from your instruments to keep them extremely clean.

Corrosion may also occur on piston valves. Foreign materials may also accumulate in the same piston valves. The affected valves may not work properly. Note that valves are fitted tightly and a small amount of dirt between the piston and the casing may cause a lot of problems. It is therefore advisable to have your instrument inspected regularly. You can hire a professional in instrument cleaning to thoroughly inspect your instruments.




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