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Thread: Problems with mold

  1. Question Problems with mold

    Hello fellow friends of brass instruments and music!

    I have a problem with a Soviet-made 3-valve Bb tuba I bought a couple of months ago. I have spent a lot of time cleaning the outsides and the insides of the instrument and trying to make the beast somewhat playable. Every time I play for more than 15 minutes my nose starts to run and my throat starts to dry up. I usually play my Willson euphonium and I have no such problems, so I think it must be the tuba. I suspect the instrument has been played and maintained quite recklessly in the past and when I poured water in the instrument, it smelled like a soggy ashtray.

    I think the instrument has a mold-related problem. The instrument is raw brass without any lacquer or coatings so I tried to use common dish-soap to remove some of the "spores" I think cruise around the insides of the instrument. Thorough cleaning proved unsuccessful because I still get the same symptoms when I play the instrument.

    I would like to hear your ideas on what to try next. The instrument was very cheap so I would like to try to handle the problem on my own without professional help.

    All feedback or ideas are appreciated!

  2. #2
    Welcome to the forum!

    Apparently the first step is a really good cleaning. Buy some Dawn dish soap. Take the horn outside to your garden hose. Pour a bunch of Dawn down the bell. Put the hose into the bell about halfway down, and firmly pack rags or towels around the hose. Turn the water on, but not too far. Push down all 3 valves. As soon as soapy water comes out of the leadpipe, turn off the water and just let the horn soak (or marinate, depending on what's inside) for 10-15 minutes. Then hang onto the rags around the hose and turn the water on high. Just let it run. When done, pull a slide or two and look inside. If it still is visibly dirty try the whole thing again.

    You then need a bucket or tub with soapy water in it. Put all the removable parts in there. Get a "snake" (swab on a flexible metal line) and swab everything out as well as you can.

    Rinse it all off, lube, and reassemble.
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  3. #3
    You could have mold or just the residuals from a smoker who previously owned the horn. In either case, Dave has given you good advice. Purchasing a "snake" for cleaning your tuba and euphonium is a very good idea. I also think you should consider purchasing a Quick Horn Rinse device. Not real expensive and something that make maintenance of your horn a lot easier. If the dawn dish soap thing doesn't work, consider doing the same thing with a light bleach solution. Let it set for 20 or 30 minutes and then rinse with a lot of water . Follow that up with a dawn soap and snake treatment. Your in for a bit of easy but time consuming work.

  4. Thanks for the advice given, I'll try the method Mr Werden suggested, and if that fails, I'll try the bleach method. I have thought about buying a cleaning snake for some time but I have managed to maintain my euphonium using a small brush with a plastic wire.

    I have been reading this forum for a long time and I think it's very well maintained. I'll post my findings on the mold-issue when I find the time.

    Thanks again!

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