Here’s a tip for making a cheap whistle cleaning tool. Go to your local arts & crafts store and get long, fluffy chenile stems (fancy pipe cleaners). Twist three of them together, and, voila, you have a nice, cheap whistle cleaning tool. It works great for a D or C whistle.
Thanks for the idea, Rose. I’ve been using a dowel that I slip into a length of hem from a discarded bathrobe.
I finally gave up on the chinese chopsticks, but went to a MUSIC store in Rapid City and paid three bucks for an aluminum flute cleaner. It looks like a huge needle eye, that you can thread with a scrap of soft cloth! It’s the perfect tool for cleaning whistles. Best three bucks I ever spent!
For cleaning my Overton onepiece Low-d. I bought a cleaning swab made by the folks who make the crystal flutes. I has a dowel with cushioned swab at the end. The swab is 1" in diameter and fits snuggly inside my Overton; while, the dowel is long enought to reach the whole length. It only cost about 3 or 4 dollars. For my soprano (regular) whistles I use swabs that are made for recorders. Both of these can be found at discount music stores like Mars Music.
For cleaning and drying windways. I went to a local art supply store and bought a big piece of blotter paper. This is the paper you use to blot caligraphy ink. Years ago desk 'blotter’s were made out of blotter paper. I know, I know, who uses fountain pens and ink anymore when e-mail and printers have done away with the need. Any way, you can still find Blotter paper at some art stores.
I then cut the sheet of blotter paper up into little strips about 1/4-1/2" wide and 3-4" long. These easily slip through the wind ways and remove any moisture. The paper is stiff enough to be pushed through with out any problem. I then sit them out on the table and, as long as they don’t get guiness spilt on them, they dry out for re-use.
Hope this helps and …
well, shucks…here in Texas we just use our gun cleaning rod. Gm
I found an oboe cleaner works pretty well. It has two cotton ends one larger than the other - seems to do the trick!
uhhh…you’re supposed to clean your whistle? I’ve been playing for about two months now…hmm
I do rinse it out from time to time with a little soap and water. It seems to help the ‘moisture’ situation..is that enough?
How often do you clean your whistle? On a regular schedule, or just when it starts getting gross? 
-gary
When I get through playing at church or jam I use a flute swab on them before I put them away. That may not be necessary but I don’t like to put them away with moisture in them. Would rather have the yuck on the flute swab than left in the whistle. Those swabs do get pretty yucky looking (I have two) and have to be washed periodically. Gm
On 2001-12-14 23:05, Grannymouse wrote:
When I get through playing at church or jam I use a flute swab on them before I put them away. That may not be necessary but I don’t like to put them away with moisture in them. Would rather have the yuck on the flute swab than left in the whistle. Those swabs do get pretty yucky looking (I have two) and have to be washed periodically. Gm
That’s why I like those rags, you just pitch 'em BEFORE they get too gross!
The flute cleaning rod is a good idea, but even better are recorder cleaning rods ( not fuzzy swabs). They are very similar, but are made of plastic instead of aluminum, and are less likely to damage more delicate ( eg wooden) whistles.
I use a clarinet cleaning swab,it works great, just take a siccors and trim some off it so it fits through the tube.Of coarse this only works on a whistle where the mouthpiece comes off.
I bought a set of long handled brushes meant for cleaning out aquarium tubing. There are 4 or 5 different sizes to it and I got it cheap at Walmart. Works for me.
Mary
On 2001-12-14 19:44, Grannymouse wrote:
well, shucks…here in Texas we just use our gun cleaning rod. Gm
I hope you make sure they’re unloaded first!
I usually have a long bruise on my right thigh from tapping the dripping end of my whistle against it. Or I can always fling it at the unsuspecting drummer…(relax, he’s just my son). But really, thanks for the ideas. I was trying to invent all sorts of contraptions to help with my PMS(Post Melody Spit) disorder.
I’ve been actually using the gun cleaning kit on my whistles a while now. I found a .45 set works well. Plus the plastic box that the rod comes in makes a nice whistle case.
On 2001-12-18 06:27, Threestrand wrote:
I’ve been actually using the gun cleaning kit on my whistles a while now. I found a .45 set works well. Plus the plastic box that the rod comes in makes a nice whistle case.
Now trying to take all of that through the airport security would be interesting…
So, if we pound our swords into plowshares. Then why not use gun cleaning kits for whistles.
BTW - To anyone who has other instruments like Oboes, Bombardes and other stuff - the Chenille stuff works well in the skinny neck area of those instruments bores.