How do you get mold off your alto saxophone?

Answer 1

You have to buy a swab to swab all of the moisture out of your sax. A microfiber swab is preferred. A neck cleaner (this is more use for tenor than alto sax) is to clean out grime from the neck, and a polishing clouth to clean the outside. Doing this will help intonation and production of a better sound. This will also make playing a lot easier

Every month or so I just boil my mouthpiece and gooseneck without the cork or pad on, the only thing you can do with the body is just pull a cloth through it every time you play though, unless you get it cleaned professionally, but it can take hours.

Answer 2

If you want to clean a hard rubber mouthpiece or plastic mouthpiece, it's very important not to use water that is too hot. It will warp the mouthpiece and change your tone. Also if it's too hot for a hard rubber mouthpiece - it will turn a dark green. Both hard rubber and plastic mouthpieces are normally black in color.

You basically know the difference between the two by experience and how much it weighs.

After removing the reed and the ligature -a soft bristle toothbrush and some mild soap such as ivory with Luke warm (not hot or cold) water usually does the trick.

With metal mouthpieces the "too hot of water" isn't as much of a problem. But be careful of the "tooth plate" on top of the mouthpiece for the same reasons as above. Also do not use a toothbrush on a metal mouthpiece. It will scratch the metal -a real shame if it's gold. Use a soft cloth with mild soap and water.

Answer 3

A sax wipe you buy from a music store will do fine. It should be pretty much look like a cloth on a string. You take off the tiny part that you mouthpiece on, then drop the weighted string down the body of it, then pull it through from the bell. Repeat this a couple of times and you got yourself a clean Saxophone. :)

Answer 4

If you are trying to sanitize the mouth piece, you can set it in a cup of mouth wash for a few minutes. If you are trying to sanitize the actual instrument buy a cleaning kit or take it to a professional.

Answer 5

Soap and water will do the trick - diluted dish washing liquid on a Q-tip for small spots. If the mold has been there for a long time, it may have invaded the lacquer and may be hard to get rid of. Try to keep the pads dry. If the mold is growing on leather pads, the same method may work, but too much will dry out the pads, making it necessary to replace them. If the mold is extensive or has been there long time it may have invaded the leather to the point that the pads need replaced anyway. If the sax has been sitting in a closet for years, a repad job may be necessary. If so, a chemical dip can be done at the same time. Mild acid like vinegar or lemon juice can help remove corrosion, but must be completely cleaned off when you are done and must be kept away from the pads.

Answer 6

Get it completely repadded and recorked, maybe get the keys looked at, check for leaks and cracks. From there, swab after every practice and clean the mouthpiece frequently.

Answer 7

Get a polishing cloth or find a soft piece of fabric similar to an eyeglass rag or hankie.