Is the pull-thru new? BAsed on the description I might just toss it and get a new one. But leather can be lightly cleaned with a bit of mild soap and water, just let it air dry before using it again.

 

Hand wash it with any dish soap, rinse well and hang dry.
To clean the inside of the horn just keep pulling a damp, not dripping wet, swab through it until it comes out clean enough for your personal standards. A tiny bit of dish soap in the wash water helps losen any dried on gross bits. Just be sure to use clear water a few times to remove any soap residue.

 

Woolite in warm water.

 

I'd do as bandmommy suggests regarding cleaning the inside of the horn. Once you finally get it cleaned out well, I'd also suggest getting a new swab. The Hodge silk swab is very good and reasonably priced:

Hodge Tenor Saxophone Silk Swab (prowinds.com)

 

As you already know, you have a very dirty horn. The black stuff is most likely mildew that developed on the organic deposits inside the horn. Here's what should be done; take all the keys of, put it in the tub and wash it out. This requires certain kinds of brushes and other tools. As an alternative, put it in the shop for a clean, oil and adjust. You can keep going with the swabs but its not going to get really clean - plus, you'll be pushing that foul crud into the tone holes. Some of those you can get to with a cotton swab, but you still will have to take some of the keys off.

Now, once you get it clean, you can keep it clean with stuffers or a lot of swabbing.

 

I agree that if you’re comfortable taking the horn apart, removing the keys and scrubbing it up will do a more thorough job. Most detergents, all the typical solvents people use on horns (iso, naptha, etc), and vinegar all kill mold…no mixing though. I’d probably replace the swab just for the eww factor of so many black pulls through.

 

Many thanks I am OK with taking sax apart, I have already done it before with some old B&S Blue Label

 

is the sax silver plated?

 

That was my first question too. Other respondents are assuming that the horn is very dirty, moldy, etc., but a black pull through is pretty normal for an older silver-plated horn.