I have an inexpensive penny whistle made of anodized aluminum with a plastic head. Do I have to clean it?
It never seems to acquire moisture on the inside, which seems strange. But it does look like my fingers might have discolored the metal around the holes because I brought it hiking with me and played with my sweaty fingers. But being aluminum and plastic it ought not to be subject to corrosion, right?
It seem like you could even clean it in the dishwasher. Or at least soap and water in the sink? Anyway, do you clean it or not?
You could clean it as long as you don’t use overly abrasive tactics. Dishwasher might be overdoing it a little. Plus there might be the chance of the head melting or something.
All instruments deserve regular cleaning and maintenance. Warm soapy water and a flute cleaning rod with a scrap of soft cloth in the slot works a treat. I unglue the mouthpieces of all my similar whistles to make them tunable and it’s even easier to scrub them out. I do it a couple of times a year. Wooden toothpicks work nicely to clean the inside edges of fingerholes, and a tiny strip of index card can scrub out the windway. Never use metal objects for those jobs.
If you’re concerned about germs you can get a disinfectant to clean the mouthpiece before and after playing. Listerine in a little spray bottle works fine, as do those pre-moistened alcohol towelettes that the doctor uses before he gives you a needle. You can get those in any drugstore and they’re cheap, neat, and convenient to carry. And before anyone asks: no, alcohol won’t melt the plastic or harm the metal at all. Lubricate the slide if your whistle has that, and you’re good to go.
This applies only to metal whistles. Wood is a different matter. If you own a wooden whistle, ignor everything you’ve just read.
When I first got my Waltons D, I decided, after playing with it for a while, that I would clean it with hot tap water. Our tap water is very hot, and I thought this would work well, since it would evaporate quickly and not harm the metal.
Well, the metal is fine, but I didn’t take into account the coating of laquer. I think the heat made it softer, as it began peeling off at a tremendous rate everywhere my fingers touch the instrument. Where the laquer still exists, it has an almost rubbery feel to it.
Of course, this hasn’t affected the sound at all and it makes me look like I’ve been playing the whistle for years to have worn off so much of the finish. Unfortunately, It doesn’t make me sound any more experienced!
Or at least soap and water in the sink? Anyway, do you clean it or not?
Unfortunately, It doesn’t make me sound any more experienced! 