I have been reviewing posts in the 1-3000 range and I am seeing a lot
of questions about cleaning of the white deposits from rubber and
plastic mouthpieces. It may have been posted later, but the best way
to remove calcified salava (AKA plaque) is to soak the piece in citric
acid (not acetic acid - vinegar) for a few minutes at room temp.
Citric acid is readily available in any grocery store as lemon juice
concentrate like "RealLemon", or you can even use fresh lemons. This
is infinitely more effective than vinegar, and much less damaging than
peroxide or mechanical sanding, etc. Citric acid not only acts as an
acidic material (like vinegar), but also acts as a "chelate" which
forms a complex with calcium in the deposit, thus more effectively
suspending it in solution. For clarinet pieces, just put lemon juice
full strength into a 35mm film can and dunk the beak into it. Go for
coffee for 15 minutes or leave it overnite (time not a factor) and
when you come back it's clean as a whistle! Totally non-toxic and
inert to hard rubber, plastic, stainless, glass, etc. In most cases,
it does not even affect the patch (if any) that the user has added to
the piece. - Brent 

Or you can get this:
http://www.doctorsprod.com/store/comersus_listItems.asp?idCategory

His stuff works great, and protects your vintage mouthpieces as well.

--- In MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com, "Brent" <brentsmith@...> wrote:
>
> I have been reviewing posts in the 1-3000 range and I am seeing a lot
> of questions about cleaning of the white deposits from rubber and
> plastic mouthpieces. It may have been posted later, but the best way
> to remove calcified salava (AKA plaque) is to soak the piece in citric
> acid (not acetic acid - vinegar) for a few minutes at room temp.
> Citric acid is readily available in any grocery store as lemon juice
> concentrate like "RealLemon", or you can even use fresh lemons. This
> is infinitely more effective than vinegar, and much less damaging than
> peroxide or mechanical sanding, etc. Citric acid not only acts as an
> acidic material (like vinegar), but also acts as a "chelate" which
> forms a complex with calcium in the deposit, thus more effectively
> suspending it in solution. For clarinet pieces, just put lemon juice
> full strength into a 35mm film can and dunk the beak into it. Go for
> coffee for 15 minutes or leave it overnite (time not a factor) and
> when you come back it's clean as a whistle! Totally non-toxic and
> inert to hard rubber, plastic, stainless, glass, etc. In most cases,
> it does not even affect the patch (if any) that the user has added to
> the piece. - Brent
>

Brent, great suggestion!
   
  And all these years I had been using vinegar.  Duh!  Lemon juice!  Of course!  (Paul smacks himself on forehead...)
   
  Paul

Brent <brentsmith@...> wrote:
          I have been reviewing posts in the 1-3000 range and I am seeing a lot
of questions about cleaning of the white deposits from rubber and
plastic mouthpieces. It may have been posted later, but the best way
to remove calcified salava (AKA plaque) is to soak the piece in citric
acid (not acetic acid - vinegar) for a few minutes at room temp.
Citric acid is readily available in any grocery store as lemon juice
concentrate like "RealLemon", or you can even use fresh lemons. This
is infinitely more effective than vinegar, and much less damaging than
peroxide or mechanical sanding, etc. Citric acid not only acts as an
acidic material (like vinegar), but also acts as a "chelate" which
forms a complex with calcium in the deposit, thus more effectively
suspending it in solution. For clarinet pieces, just put lemon juice
full strength into a 35mm film can and dunk the beak into it. Go for
coffee for 15 minutes or leave it overnite (time not a factor) and
when you come back it's clean as a whistle! Totally non-toxic and
inert to hard rubber, plastic, stainless, glass, etc. In most cases,
it does not even affect the patch (if any) that the user has added to
the piece. - Brent 



                         


Link to Paul's articles from Main page of "Saxgourmet":
		http://www.saxgourmet.com
Listen to Paul's MP3's and view saxophone photos at:
           http://briefcase.yahoo.com/tenorman1952

Paul Coats is the sole US importer of SAXRAX products from 
http://www.saxrax.com 
For SAXRAX products, email Paul at saxraxus@...
       
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This html message parsed with html2text ---------------------------I have also had good results with Kaboom - a cleaning product made to dissolve
lime scale/buildup in tubs & sinks - someone on this newsgroup suggested it.
It takes the scaly buildup off of mouthpieces without affecting the hard
rubber (or metal). Lemon juice would be less "chemical" and toxic, though, and
I'll try it on the next funky piece I get.  
  
Dan T.  
  
Eric wrote:

> Or you can get this:  
>
> [http://www.doctorsprod.com/store/comersus_listItems.asp?idCategory](http://www.doctorsprod.com/store/comersus_listItems.asp?idCategory)  
>  
>  His stuff works great, and protects your vintage mouthpieces as well.  
>  
>  \\--- In
> [MouthpieceWork@yahoogroups.com](mailto:MouthpieceWork%40yahoogroups.com),
> "Brent" ...> wrote:  
>  >  
>  > I have been reviewing posts in the 1-3000 range and I am seeing a lot  
>  > of questions about cleaning of the white deposits from rubber and  
>  > plastic mouthpieces. It may have been posted later, but the best way  
>  > to remove calcified salava (AKA plaque) is to soak the piece in citric  
>  > acid (not acetic acid - vinegar) for a few minutes at room temp.  
>  > Citric acid is readily available in any grocery store as lemon juice  
>  > concentrate like "RealLemon", or you can even use fresh lemons. This  
>  > is infinitely more effective than vinegar, and much less damaging than  
>  > peroxide or mechanical sanding, etc. Citric acid not only acts as an  
>  > acidic material (like vinegar), but also acts as a "chelate" which  
>  > forms a complex with calcium in the deposit, thus more effectively  
>  > suspending it in solution. For clarinet pieces, just put lemon juice  
>  > full strength into a 35mm film can and dunk the beak into it. Go for  
>  > coffee for 15 minutes or leave it overnite (time not a factor) and  
>  > when you come back it's clean as a whistle! Totally non- toxic and  
>  > inert to hard rubber, plastic, stainless, glass, etc. In most cases,  
>  > it does not even affect the patch (if any) that the user has added to  
>  > the piece. - Brent  
>  >  
>  
>

I don't know how practical this would be, but it seems Citric acid
would also work quite well for dip-cleaning brass instruments.  Has
anyone tried this?

Thanks,
Marco