[bruce bailey]

For years I have tried vinegar, soap and other trials to clean the deposits inside old mouthpieces. Today while cleaning some ligatures, I dropped an old soprano mouthpiece into the pan of Tarn-X which is the stuff sold in stores to dip silverware in. I took a toothbrush and rubbed the old white junk off the inside of the chamber. So for this is the best thing I have found. It didn't change the color of the mouthpiece either. I would suggest trying it on an old junker first.

 

[Martinman]

Are you talking about hard rubber or metal mouthpieces?

 

[daigle65]

Vinegar has always worked fine on my HR mpcs. You need to let them soak for 20 minutes and the calcium deposits come right off with a toothbrush.

 

[rogerb40uk]

Vinegar has always worked fine on my HR mpcs. You need to let them soak for 20 minutes and the calcium deposits come right off with a toothbrush.

Doesn't it also tend to turn the mpc brown?

How about denture cleaner tablets, in fairly hot water, allowed to cool?

 

[A Greene]

Soak you HR mouthpieces is Coke. Works wonders.

 

[milandro]

once again the great Stephen Howard offers a great test on his beautiful site
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk/Testing/Cleaning_mouthpieces.htm
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk/HandyHints/mouthpiece_hygiene.htm
I find that his advise to use cotton wool soaked in vinegar is very helpful, if any color change takes place it will be only on the inside of the mouthpiece.

 

[daigle65]

Doesn't it also tend to turn the mpc brown?

A little... but the color comes back after a while.

How about denture cleaner tablets, in fairly hot water?

I wouldn't put an HR mpc in hot water, it could warp it. I clean my mpcs with lukewarm water only.

 

[milandro]

I wouldn't put a HR mpc in hot water, it could warp it. I clean my mpcs with lukewarm water only.

Hot water is definitely a no no, and if you ask me, cold water is better than lukewarm, if you want to avoid boosting the bacterial activity,.....use some sort of disinfectant, vinegar is good, a little diluted bleach is also good, peroxide is not too bad and good old listerine, why not!

 

[Reedsplinter]

A little... but the color comes back after a while.

Not necessarily. I cleaned a Morgan Excalibur with vinegar years ago; it turned a very distinctive greenish black and has remained so ever since. I've been advised, on another thread here, that this can be remedied by using a light abrasive; someone recommended toothpaste. I haven't tried it. But the color change wrought by the vinegar treatment really seems permanent otherwise.

 

[daigle65]

Not necessarily. I cleaned a Morgan Excalibur with vinegar years ago; it turned a very distinctive greenish black and has remained so ever since. I've been advised, on another thread here, that this can be remedied by using a light abrasive; someone recommended toothpaste. I haven't tried it. But the color change wrought by the vinegar treatment really seems permanent otherwise.

That hasn't been the case with me. I guess it must depend on the type of HR.

 

[jbtsax]

In my experience it is the hot water and not the vinegar that causes the hard rubber mouthpiece to turn brownish green (or is that greenish brown). I have had some success soaking these discolored mouthpieces in a half and half clorox and water solution for 2 to 3 hours followed by a light buffing. It works very well on some and not so well on others. There must have been many different formulas used for the hard rubber in these vintage pieces.

John

 

[Martinman]

I think it is the water too, this happened somewhat to my C*.

 

[Rackety Sax]

Doesn't it also tend to turn the mpc brown?

How about denture cleaner tablets, in fairly hot water?

NO! Hot water can warp ebonite.

 

[Rackety Sax]

Soak you HR mouthpieces is Coke. Works wonders.

YES! Most any cola will work, I believe. And it doesn't discolor the mouthpiece.

 

[GAS_Wyo]

What about a little olive oil following the cleaning process...it makes the piece black again AND it tastes relatively neutral.

 

[bruce bailey]

I was using it on HR and it didn't change the color.

 

[rogerb40uk]

NO! Hot water can warp ebonite.

OH-KAY!
I did know that risk and meant to add ", allowed to cool" (and have now done so), although I don't know whether the fizzing in the hot water is an essential part of the cleaning process, which works well on many stained or 'encrusted' items, I've found.

 

[Jonathan C.]

YES! Most any cola will work, I believe. And it doesn't discolor the mouthpiece.

Why waste the coke?

 

[saintsday]

What about a little olive oil following the cleaning process...it makes the piece black again AND it tastes relatively neutral.

I'm afraid of the organics going rancid in olive oil. I have used a light coat of mineral oil.

 

[Rackety Sax]

Why waste the coke?

Waste it? Drink it! The mouthpiece soak adds a certain je ne sais quoi to the cola flavor. :twisted: