Things You'll Need:
- Soft cloth
- Cork grease
- Cotton Swabs
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Step 1
Take apart your clarinet. In order to properly clean your clarinet, just as you would when you put it away in its case. Remove the reed from the mouthpiece, dry it completely and gently with a soft cloth and place it in its protector.
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Step 2
Thoroughly dry the inside pieces of the clarinet. The most important part of cleaning your clarinet is to make sure that it is completely dry inside. Playing the clarinet forces moisture inside the pipes and since a clarinet is made out of wood the moisture can cause damage. Dry the inside of the pipes with a soft cotton cloth pulled through it and with cotton swabs with long sticks such as those used in your doctor's office. Pipe cleaners can also be used to effectively dry the inside of the pipes.
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Step 3
Buff clean the outside of the clarinet. With a clean, cotton cloth, wipe down the entire surface of the outside of the clarinet. Be sure to carefully dry the tone holes and pads as well.
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Step 4
Clean underneath the small pieces on the outside of the clarinet. With a pipecleaner, carefully clean underneath the small mechanisms attached to the outside of the clarinet.
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Step 5
Occasionally oil your clarinet. To keep the wood of your clarinet conditioned and safe from cracking, you should buff it down with a bit of organic bore oil from time to time. Be careful not to get oil on the non-wooden mechanisms and do not leave any excess oil on the clarinet pipes.
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Step 6
Keep your clarinet stored correctly in its case at all times. The case will protect your clarinet from dust and from the drying out that can occur to the wood.
