RE: [Harp-L] Cleaning harmonicas

[Steve Shaw <moorcot@xxxxxxx>]

Warm water straight from the tap. Wash out plastic or metal bodied unvalved harps this way after use, before you go to bed. A good shake out, then wipe down and air-dry. I even do this with my wood-bodied MS harps but I do it fast, and I wouldn't do it with other unsealed wood combed harps. A food-free mouth and lips are vital when playing and don't use anything greasy on your lips. The harps I have that don't qualify for this method get a good wipe-down after each playing with kitchen towel dipped in hot water. Chrom slides I keep sweet by inverting the harp and holding the mouthpiece down in quite hot water in a shallow container whilst working the slide. I don't turn the harp the right way up again until I've shaken and tapped it out. I never have sticky slides, ever. I find that my valved harps rarely need a deep clean, but then I don't play them quite as much as the diatonic plastic jobbies.