The Importance of Cleaning Your Instrument

Researchers from the Oklahoma State University for Health Sciences recently carried out tests to see how clean high schoolers' band instruments were. After swabbing several brass and woodwind instruments they found 295 kinds of bacteria as well as molds. And out of all the instruments swabbed, the clarinets were the dirtiest.

Dentist and professor at Oklahoma State, Thomas Glass, said, "The bacteria can produce local infections in the mouth, in the gastrointestinal tract, and in the respiratory tract." There have been cases where musicians who had issues with breathing and shortness of breath were made better after beginning regular cleaning of their instruments. 


Cleaning our mouthpieces weekly with soap and warm water will help to keep us healthy as well as keeping our mouthpieces in tip-top shape. 


Link to full article: That Clarinet Could be a Germ Factory