How to Clean a Shofar
Each year, on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Jews honor and announce the coming of the new year by blowing the shofar. This ancient instrument's loud, piercing sound calls the congregation to worship and helps put celebrants in the appropriate frame of mind for the High Holy Days. Because the shofar is made from a real ram's horn, it may hold some degree of odor from marrow or bone fragments inside. Owners should clean their shofars when they are new to remove unpleasant smells and again if they later begin to pick up other odors.
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Things You'll Need
- Baking soda
- Synthetic vinegar (optional)
- Tissue paper
- Damp cloth
- Pipe cleaner
Instructions
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Rinse the inside of the shofar with synthetic vinegar or a solution of baking soda and water. If the horn still has an odor, plug the mouthpiece with tissue paper, stand it up with the plugged end on the bottom and fill it halfway with pure baking soda. Leave it standing with the baking soda inside for 12 hours, then empty it, remove the tissue paper and rinse the horn with water.
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Wipe the outside of the horn with a damp cloth to remove dust or dirt whenever necessary. Be gentle with the exterior of the instrument, taking care not to scratch it.
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Wet a pipe cleaner with warm water and insert it into the mouthpiece. Gently swab the inside of the mouthpiece with the pipe cleaner, then remove it and dry the mouthpiece with tissue paper. Only clean the mouthpiece when it's partially or completely blocked.
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Tips & Warnings
Most shofars smell slightly of animal. You probably will not be able to remove the smell completely.
Store your shofar in a shofar bag when it's not in use.
Don't clean the shofar with chemicals, soak it in water or use abrasive cleaners that may scratch it.
References
Resources
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