Posted by BRUCE on March 19, 2003 at 12:26:34:
In Reply to: Cleaning Frequency posted by Rocky Bivens on March 19, 2003 at 07:07:37:
Base routine inspections on how fast or slow your previously-owned instruments have been gunked up. If, generally, you know that you can play an instrument for quite a long period of time without gunking it up, one easy safeguard (once the mouthpipe tube has been cleaned very very well) is to regularly pour valve oil down the mouthpipe tube and try to slosh it around so that it coats the mouthpipe interior well.
Coating the inside of the mouthpipe tube with oil will help prevent lime and other contaminants from "hanging around" in there - eventually getting to your valves. Hopefully, if you keep the valves AND mouthpipe coated with oil, most all contaminants will find their way, along with condensation acting as a "carrier", to the waterkey.