{"id":564,"date":"2020-04-30T07:56:33","date_gmt":"2020-04-30T13:56:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress-686768-2265439.cloudwaysapps.com\/?p=564"},"modified":"2021-01-11T07:15:46","modified_gmt":"2021-01-11T14:15:46","slug":"sterilize-recorder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cleanmyinstrument.com\/sterilize-recorder\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Sterilize a Recorder: Plastic or Wood"},"content":{"rendered":"

Musical recorders are wonderful instruments that are simple to learn but are still versatile and have a great sound. Many beginning students start with the plastic recorder simply because they don’t cost much and are easy to find. Professional wooden recorders though can cost over $300 and can be exquisite instruments. Whether you’re a student in a classroom setting, just learning to play the recorder at home, or an experienced musician, it’s important to know how to clean and sterilize your recorder.<\/p>\n

Before you sterilize a recorder, you’ll want to clean the instrument first. Take apart the recorder and wash each section with warm water and mild cleaner, soaking the recorder if it’s made of plastic. Clean the exterior with warm cloth and then rinse. Wipe the inside dry with a cloth and cleaning rod. For sanitization, saturate with\u00a0 mouthwash or Sterisol\u00a0 to kill germs. Rinse again and then dry by patting with a soft cloth. Allow to fully air dry before storing in its case.<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are a few things you should watch out for with the cleaning process and some different options for cleaning and for sanitizing. We also have a some shortcuts if you’re ever in a rush to sterilize a recorder or don’t want all the hassle.<\/p>\n

For the steps below, I’ll be using dish detergent and mouthwash for cleaning and sanitizing. I’ll list the other options below.<\/p>\n

Steps to clean and sterilize a plastic recorder<\/h2>\n

Let’s break down the full process of cleaning and sterilizing a plastic recorder. After all, each time the recorder is played, the inside is coated in saliva and we need to know how to get rid of that spit, and the germs with it!<\/p>\n

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  1. \"RecorderDissemble the recorder:<\/strong> Gently remove the mouthpiece by twisting from the body joint. With plastic recorders, the joints may be difficult to twist apart so you may need to use a little more force. If there’s a separate foot joint, gently twist and pull it free from the body joint as well. Note that many plastic recorders don’t have a separate foot joint.<\/li>\n
  2. Soak in warm water and soap:<\/strong> Fill the sink or a large container with warm water and a couple squirts of dish detergent. The water should be warm to mildly hot since heat will help remove and kill the germs but not too hot since scalding water can damage a plastic instrument. Place the recorder segments (or joints) into warm water and soak for 10-15 minutes.<\/li>\n
  3. Scrub exterior with cleaning cloth:<\/strong> plastic recorders are pretty resilient so a regular cleaning cloth or sponge will work. For the crevices and finger holes, use a bottle brush, soft-bristle toothbrush, or cotton swab (think Q-tip) to clean away any buildup and grime.<\/li>\n
  4. Rinse soap off recorder:<\/strong> Run warm water through the interior of each joint, making sure all soap is rinsed off thoroughly.<\/li>\n
  5. \"PlasticWipe clean with cloth and recorder rod:<\/strong> A recorder rod is a cleaning stick made just for recorders that fits inside the joints of the instrument. It has a little opening at the end that you can thread part of a cleaning cloth through, to hold the cloth in place. After the joints have soaked for a bit, push the recorder rod and soft cloth through the body and foot joints to pick up any dirt and grime within the inside of the recorder, known as the bore. With this step, you’re also drying the inside of the instrument. For the mouthpiece, or head joint, you won’t be able to push the rod through. Instead, insert from the bottom of the mouthpiece, slightly twisting until you can’t push it any further. Move the cloth in and out a few times to pick up everything.
    \nNote: if you don’t have a recorder rod, a knitting needle will also work since it has a hook on the end. You don’t want to get your cleaning cloth stuck within the instrument!<\/li>\n
  6. Saturate with mouthwash or Sterisol:<\/strong> Now that the buildup and gunk have been removed, it’s time to sanitize the recorder. For this step, you can use either a common mouthwash like Listerine (kills over 99% bacteria) or Sterisol, a specialized instrument germicide that’s used by most musical professionals. In a small containers, so you don’t use too much, mix the sanitizing agent with water half and half. Either soak each part, or pour through and over each part of your recorder, making sure that everything gets saturated. Especially make sure that the mouthpiece is fully soaked since it is the dirtiest part of the instrument. Allow the mouthwash or Sterisol to soak in for a minute or so to kill off any remaining germs.
    \nNote, most of the germs will already have been washed away during the cleaning process. This extra sanitization step just makes extra sure.<\/li>\n
  7. Rinse with water:<\/strong> Do a final rinse to remove the residue and smell from the sanitizing agent.<\/li>\n
  8. Dry and store:<\/strong> Shake any excess water from the instrument and pat dry the exterior of the recorder with a paper towel or drying cloth. Allow to air dry for 20 minutes or so until completely dry. After dry, store the instrument in its case to avoid dust and exposure.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    First Shortcut: Put your plastic recorder in the dishwasher<\/h3>\n

    Wait, what? Yes, many plastic recorders are actually dishwasher safe. Many teachers and recorder owners swear that this works for sanitization and that they haven’t seen any damage to their instrument. If you do this, make sure to separate your recorder joints and that you run the dishwasher without the heated dry cycle. Running the recorder through the dishwasher will also remove the joint grease though, so make sure you apply more afterwards so the joints will be easier to put back together.<\/p>\n

    Remember, this shortcut is just for plastic<\/strong> recorders.<\/p>\n

    Second Shortcut: Spray Sterisol<\/h3>\n

    Instead of saturating with mouthwash or Sterisol, use the spray version of the product. Just make sure you fully spray all areas. You can find it at your local music instrument store or online<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Steps to clean and disinfect a wooden recorder<\/h2>\n

    Most of the steps to clean a wooden recorder are the same as a plastic one EXCEPT these 2 important rules:<\/p>\n