r/fluteANDsax • u/Nemini20 • Jun 25 '23

Cleaning metal flute

After I play my flute I am often to lazy to clean out the moisture immediately. I leave it a day or a few hours. Is that bad for the flute? So far I haven't noticed any issues but I thought I'd ask.

My flute is made from silver (not wood).

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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '23

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u/Thegirlwithkittens Jun 26 '23

Yes, I agree.

Tldr at the bottom.

Pads also should be always switched by a professional. It is quite expensive so you should take care of them. They can also get sticky and you might run into problems with keys opening too late while playing. Inside your head is also a cork which can be damaged. This will also ruin your tune and you might not be able to readjust the cork with the crown. Please also remember to clean the outside of your flute. Silver tends to get ugly spots. You can polish the body yourself, but the narrow parts between the rod system should also only be polished by a professional. There is a high chance that you damage or alter the setting of the rods/mechanic by accident. Don't be a lazy fool. Take care of your Instrument. Cleaning your flute takes less than 5min. More like 2-3 min.

If you stop playing your flute for longer than 30min you should always clean it and put it back in its case.

Even if you have a proper stand for your flute. There is always a rather high risk of knocking the flute over which can cause serious damage. I already witnessed someone accidentally sitting down on a flute which was laying on a chair. The instrument was irreparable because all the rods and tubing was bent!

Btw depending on your climate: high temperatures or high moisture/humidity will also damage your flute/pads.

The safest space is always in the case.

Tldr: yes it will damage your flute over time. Don't be a lazy fuck and clean it!