Subject: Re: [Harp-L] alcohol swabs (was Sharing Harps)

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Catching up on some back issues:
 
 dp writes:
 
"Message: 4
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2006 13:11:57 -0500
From: dp  <harmonicablue@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] alcohol swabs  (was Sharing Harps)
To: "Gary Lehmann" <hqr@xxxxxxx>,  harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:
<6b6ef29f0612131011r54bab759q2112585ea5f17d9f@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type:  text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

No, An alcohol wipe  is NOT adequate to clean a harp, let alone sterilize it
!
Humid  warmed germs are blown inside every nook and cranny, to be inhaled
back  out later.
I use alcohol pads too, but only to clean the outside edges  of the holes so
I don't inhale a chunk Ewww !! Here's one for you...  wrap an alcohol wipe on
the tip of a lollipop stick to clean the dried  spit rings around the very
inside edges of the holes. The alcohol melts  the dried... things. DO NOT
push the stick inside your harp  !



On 12/13/06, Gary Lehmann <hqr@xxxxxxx>  wrote:
>
> I have taken to carrying alcohol swabs available at  drugstores that they
> sell to use for injection preparation (thanks  Scotty!), and these are
> probably adequate for sterilization if  anyone asks to play my harps but
> that
> hasn't happened in  years--'course, I'm not playing bars much--
> Gary"
 
....first, thanks Gary ;)   (my 'handle' on another  harmonica site is 
Scotty).  Anyway...it IS perfectly okay to use  "A" stick (I use angled orange 
sticks or toothpicks with those same  alcohol swabs wrapped around the tips when I 
need a little more  leverage)...as long as you're very careful not to hit the 
reed.  One  CAN look into the harmonica and ease the stick (and swab or 
alcohol soaked  cloth) around the mouthpiece to thoroughly cleanse each hole without 
 affecting a reed.  I've done it for some time now....in between major  
cleanings.  This is just for wiping down/cleaning in between  playings....and 
before putting the harmonicas in their cases.  I just  don't like putting them away 
without wiping them down.  If you don't  allow build up, less chance of 
bacteria finding a breeding ground,  no?
 
....I'll use one of those headlamp LED lights to enable me to  see properly 
if the lighting isn't adequate. The swabs are certainly  good enough to wipe 
down a harmonica in between playing when at  conventions..or just 
practicing/playing at home....I agree with  Gary.  It all depends on the situation...he 
wasn't talking about  major gigs.  As far as inhaling "anything"...nobody should 
be playing  after eating.  If that's unavoidable, then you can use those  
Brush-ups ...portable, sealed tooth wipes.  I can't imagine "chunks'  of anything 
inside my harmonicas.  The mere thought of  that's disgusting, lol.... 
 
....as far as "other" folks playing my harmonicas.  Well...it's  all in your 
perspective, and you have to know just who you would  allow.....or 
not....pretty much how you'd think of just who you'd kiss or  not.  :)  Very few would 
make it onto THAT list, let me tell  you.
 
  There are probably l/2 dozen people I'd let  play my harps for a particular 
reason, at a particular moment, all  told.  While at my first Buckeye and 
trying to figure out what the  heck was wrong with my brand-new Super 64, the 
brilliant Joe Filisko was  asked to help me....HE asked politely if he could try 
the  instrument.  Didn't hesitate for a second.  "I' only wanted him  to know 
that I'd just wiped it down with one of those alcohol swabs so it  was clean 
enough for HIM, and I'd just done a major cleaning before I  arrived and am a 
bit of a fanatic... so was more concerned for him,  since he didn't know ME.   
 
I've recently become a tad more concerned with a person's  personal hygiene 
in re washing their hands than anything else.   If people just washed their 
hands a heckuva lot more (count 30  full seconds with the soap) and used common 
sense, most flu's, colds   (E Coli?) wouldn't get to be as widespread. Think 
about THAT next  time you "hand" your harmonica over to someone else to "just 
look  at".  <G>  
 
(oh boy, now what've I done, lol!)
 
Elizabeth