RE: [Harp-L] Harp Cleaning

["Steve Shaw" <moorcot@xxxxxxx>]

Apart from the hygiene aspect, I'm convinced that cleaning is good for the 
harps.  When I get home from my session tonight I'll wash all my plastic and 
(non-valved) wood-combed harps under a warm tap then shake/tap out the 
excess water.  They then stay out on a tray to dry off overnight.  All those 
organic deposits on the reeds and plates, especially near the rivet ends of 
the reeds where muck gets trapped, will be removed before they dry on.  Even 
if you play very clean, pure saliva contains mucous substances that remain 
as a deposit after drying.  The harps will be in better tune because there 
will be no accretions on the reeds, and the reeds will respond as they ought 
to, without the encumbrance of non-metallic deposits either on them or in 
their line of travel.  I've done this for years and I'll swear that the 
harps sound better once they're washed.

Steve



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