Take Care Of Your Flute!

As it gets colder here in the Deep South, you need to make sure you take extra special care of your flute.  Not only should you take extra care to warm up (tuning will be affected), you should remind yourself of the basic rules of caring for your flute. Also note that one of the warmest part of your body is your armpit.  I am not saying you should stick your flute under your armpit per se, but it will warm your instrument up to room temperature pretty quickly.

It is important to take care of the flute on a regular basis in order to avoid large, and expensive to repair, mechanical issues.  Make sure your case is kept clean and that you store your instrument in a dry area so that your pads can dry quickly and, worst-case scenario, mold cannot grow from the leftover moisture in your flute.

1. Prior to putting the flute back in the case, the inside of the flute should be swabbed to remove moisture.  This can be accomplished simply by attaching a cloth, thin enough to maneuver in and out of the flute yet thick enough to absorb moisture, to the end of a plastic or wooden tuning rod.  There are also specialty products available for the specific purpose of swabbing out the flute; one example is a flute flag.  Here are some other products suggested by Flute World.
2. If your pads are sticking while you are playing you can use cigarette paper or similar thin papers to remove some of the moisture from the pads.  Place the cigarette paper under the pad that is sticking and gently push the key down while pulling the cigarette paper out.  If you push the key down with too much pressure the cigarette paper may tear (as well as damage the pad).
3. The outside of the flute should also be cared for on a regular basis.  Using a soft cloth made of any material that will not scratch the flute or leave any residue behind, wipe fingerprints off the tubing and keys of the flute.  Be careful not to apply too much pressure when wiping the keys because the keys may bend.  It is also very important to stay away from the pads of the flute when cleaning the outside.  Pads are easily ruined and expensive to replace.  On occasion, once a month or so, you can use a little rubbing alcohol on cotton balls or a soft cloth to clean away any oily residue on the tubing of your flute.  Again, it is important to stay clear of the pads.
   

Periodically, once a year or so, it is a good idea to have your flute serviced by a technician.  They will clean, oil, and adjust (COA) your flute and make sure it is in top shape.  The technician might also notice a leak or necessary pad change that you might not.  If you do notice a leak while playing, the easiest way to narrow down the problem key, spring, etc. on your flute is to play a chromatic scale, slowly, down starting on the C# on the middle space of the staff.  If your sound is stifled, changes or even disappears, you have found a leak.

There are kits available that you can buy and they will probably contain more tools than you will ever need.  Honestly, the best way to care for your flute is to stay on top of it.  Swab it out on a regular basis, make sure it is stored in a dry area, and let it see a "doctor" once a year.  Also try not to drop it, dunk it in water (or snow as it gets colder), or throw it against a wall in frustration (seriously, when you are getting angry, just put it down and walk away - everybody wins).  If you think something is wrong with your flute, don't wait to take it to someone who will be able to confirm or disprove your suspicion as delaying could make the problem worse.  So, basically you could think of your flute like a person, a little dependent person (like a child), who is counting on you to take them to the doctor, feed them, bathe them, clothe them, etc.

Don't forget to take care of yourselves too! Stay warm, friends!