Can any one please tell me the best way to disinfect my lovely wooden flute? I’ve been practising with a hefty cold this week and this weekend a friend is visiting who I know would love to have a go on it - but I don’t want him to get my bugs - any remedies known that don’t damage the flute? Hmmm I wonder how long a cold bug can live on /in the wood…
your replies will be much appreciated!
cheers!
Cariad
Just swab it out real well a few hours before he plays it. Most non-viral germs can’t live outside their host for very long.
Viruses on the other hand can live in a dormant state for years (They have found viable virus spores in the pyramids.), so if you have a viral infection, you are going to need to disinfect it somehow.
Aodhan
Thanks Aodhan
Maybe that will do - I think its just a ‘normal’ cold rather than a virus.
Cariad
Actually “normal” colds are viruses. Most sinus/upper respiratory infections or bacterial pneumonia would be bacterial. Any number of alcohol based bactericidal solutions are effective with those bacteria. They kill them by drying. I’m not sure how that would affect the wood, but most likely it would only dry it out a little. Shouldn’t be a problem if it’s properly humidified. That said, properly humidified flutes present ideal conditions for bacteria to thrive. They love warmth and moisture. Not a problem for you if it’s your own bacteria. I don’t know how Tea Tree oil affects flute woods, but it is an effective natural antiseptic. Hope this helps.
Corin
I’d steer away from using alcohol as a disinfectant, just in case, but maybe someone more knowledgeable could comment. I recall a maker admonishing me to keep any alcohol away from the wood; sort of problematic when drinking and playing, though, now that I think of it!
Tea tree oil only needs to be at 1/2 % concentration to kill every known bacterium . ( Even those supplied by the US to Iraq ) .It could be diluted with your favoruite flute oil , preferably Camellia oil .
Yes - I’d thought of T tree oil but then I thought it would be too harsh but such a weak dilution might be ok - the other thing I thought of is Citricidal (grapefruit seed extract) which also kills stuff like T tree but its not really an oil…
My flute (Lehart) is only two months old and I’ve only been playing it a lot for the last 2 -3 weeks so I’m not sure where I’m up to with the humidifying… I think I’ve broken it in ok though - there’s so much rather confusing information on that!!
As for alcohol - I guess rather a concentration gets blown into a flute over the years!!! (hmmm - probably evaporates anyway)
Maybe if I drink brandies (or whiskies which - sorry - I don’t like!) whilst I play it would disinfect everything anyway!!!
Cariad
If you keep drinking the brandy you soon won’t give a damn about the flute , and you probably won’t notice the effects of the bugs .Bruises perhaps , and the odd divorce , but you can’t win 'em all .