Isopropyl 70% - rubbing alcohol

[Geordie]

About to use this for the first time on my horns. Any advice about application, frequency, handling etc, is it potentially corrosive to lacquer, furniture finishes etc. I know good ventilation is needed. What else should I know?

[ghmerrill]

70% rubbing alcohol is not very hazardous stuff, nor a very aggressive solvent for most things. Any concern about "good ventilation" is overdone. This is stuff that doctors and nurses will swab on you with abandon at the first opportunity -- even if you're an infant.

The only typical warning about it in terms of finishes is that it will dissolve shellac (which you're not going to encounter on a musical instrument unless it's wood -- like a guitar).

However, you can always consider the warning for any solvent if you are anxious about it: Try it on a small area that won't be visible to a user of the object.

I always use the 90% variety for any cleaning tasks. The 70% stuff is too anemic.

[chouston3]

I like to use rubbing alcohol on my horn after I clean it out with dish detergent. I soak some cheese cloth in it and swab out the outer slide. Then I put the slide back together and dump some alcohol in it and slush pump it.

It seems to get any remaining grease out of it and helps it dry better.

I suppose you could dump some in the bell and swirl it around but I usually don't bother.

[hornbuilder]

Why are you using it, if you don't know how to handle it? What is your goal of using it? Do you understand the properties that make alcohol applicable to BIR use?

[Geordie]

Why are you using it, if you don't know how to handle it? What is your goal of using it? Do you understand the properties that make alcohol applicable to BIR use?

I’m using it following medical advice relating to a lung condition. The goal is to, as far as possible, minimize risks that might arise from the residue in any of my trombone slides. Previous research means I am familiar with the basics of handling the stuff. I hoped there might be some trombone specific tips or techniques here that the non-trombone playing medics don’t have. I have no idea what BIR means.
Now you know all that, any suggestions would be welcome.

[BGuttman]

Clearly the MD wants to use it for sepsis. It does kill lots of germs. Best place to apply it is inside the outer slide where most of the moisture collects.

Isopropyl alcohol tends to evaporate faster than plain water. The 70% is faster and the 90% faster still. As a "chaser" after rinsing out a horn it will make things dry faster.

It's a solvent for finger oils (although there are much better ones) and will remove finger prints.

It is toxic, so don't drink it. Not as toxic as the 90% but it will give you a bad tummy ache in small quantities. I'd also make sure it's gone before you start playing.

[UATrombone]

It is toxic, so don't drink it. Not as toxic as the 90% but it will give you a bad tummy ache in small quantities. I'd also make sure it's gone before you start playing.

That's why I'm using 96% Ethanol for desinfection of mouthpieces and cleaning of outers.

[Doubler]

Herco Spitballs contain alcohol, plus they do a remarkable job of cleaning and keeping horns clean on the inside. Combined with proper oral hygiene, regular use of them will delay/eliminate the need to swab out your horns.

[hornbuilder]

I’m using it following medical advice relating to a lung condition. The goal is to, as far as possible, minimize risks that might arise from the residue in any of my trombone slides. Previous research means I am familiar with the basics of handling the stuff. I hoped there might be some trombone specific tips or techniques here that the non-trombone playing medics don’t have. I have no idea what BIR means.
Now you know all that, any suggestions would be welcome.

Okay. Last point first. BIR Band Instrument Repair.

In your situation I really believe a more sensible approach would be to use a good detergent, such as Dawn, with a flexible brush, to scrub out the inside of the inner tubes. That would take care of any substance that could be detrimental to your health. For the outer slides, swabbing with alcohol is a good degreaser/organic compound remover.

I would suggest having the slide professionally cleaned, and then do the detergent scrub once a week. That would keep you slide squeaky clean for a LONG time. Dawn will remove the organic compounds more effectively than ISO.

Also note that brass is infact antimicrobial. So while organic compounds (food, greases,etc) can build up inside the instrument, it would have to be "really" bad for it to be detrimental to your health

[ghmerrill]

Also not that brass is infact antimicrobial. So while organize compounds (food, greases,etc) can build up inside the instrument, it would have to be "really" bad for it to be detrimental to your health

Perhaps so, but it's not difficult to find a number of testimonials from brass instrument players (not unusually at the professional level) who have suffered quite dramatically for failing to follow a reasonable regimen of cleaning their instruments. Here's just one example I was looking at today -- of a trombone player: https://hearhereatnec.wordpress.com/201 ... es-inside/. I also recall a number of years ago reading a similar saga by a professional symphony French Horn player in the UK. So apparently people do, perhaps just inadvertently, let things get "really" bad.

[hornbuilder]

Being a professional brass player is no guarantee the player actually takes routine care of their horn. I know plenty of pro players who rarely have routine maintenance done!! In the case of the trombone player in the article, I have to wonder about underlying health conditions, too? The number of substantiated cases just doesn't support the notion that the instrument is the issue. In any case, the care and maintenance I described would be more than satisfactory, IMO

[Doubler]

Whenever I buy a horn, I scrub the insides with warm detergent and a brush and then follow up with Herco Spitballs to catch anything that the cleaning missed. Well, on my second trombone, the inside seemed clean after the brush & detergent cleaning, but when I blew the first Spitball through, black, inky liquid came out. I used almost a whole jar of Spitballs before one came out clean. Speculation at the time was that the coating inside was the result of years of tobacco smoke. Would the same thing have happened if I had scrubbed with isopropyl alcohol and a brush? IDK.

[ghmerrill]

Can't argue with IMO. But also can't argue with "Adding an additional alcohol flush step makes me feel a bit safer."

I use the alcohol primarily as a dessicant and sort of "cleaning fluid" for various parts. But my main cleaning fluid is Simple Green. -- which I suspect kills a broad spectrum of organisms (it's at least antibacterial). But if you're really concerned with microbes, maybe go in the direction of one of the specifically broad antimicrobial Simple Green products.

[Geordie]

Appreciating all the helpful replies here. Thank you everyone.

[NotSkilledHere]

I would say i dont feel that the horn or any parts of the horn are inherently going to suffer damage from using any strength of iso alc. Now if you dumped your horn in a bathtub of it for like 5 weeks, there may or may not be damages, but nobody would ever think of that. So no unless you have something special on your horn, it wont hurt it. if you are concerned, I would follow above advice about doing one small patch to see if it does anything before the rest of the horn.

as others have mentioned above, dawn will work much better for the organic materials that might be inside your horn than iso alc. i would say if doing a sort of iso alc purge on the horn would make you have better peace of mind for your horn and health, then by all means go for it. in that case, the horn wont be hurt, you'll mentally feel better, and your horn will be extra squeaky clean.

i wish you the best on the road to recovery.

[DaveAshley]

I occasionally swab my inner AND outer tubes with rubbing alcohol, especially when I'm about to put the horn in the case for a period of time and go on tour or something. The key word is DRY!

[hornbuilder]

Yes. That is one big advantage of using ISO. It evaporates, and removes all water with it. I use it for final wipe down before lacquer application, as well as a final swab of the slide before packing to send out, specifically for this reason.

[Mamaposaune]

If the idea of using the isopropyl alcohol is to keep the inside of the horn as germ-free as possible, I would suggest using a shoelace that is a bit longer than your slide, and a long strip of cheesecloth that is thin enough to easily fit through the inner slide when doubled over. Just tie a tight knot around the middle of the cheesecloth, soak the entire length of the cloth with alcohol, and pull it through both inners - being very careful to not allow the inner slide to bend to the side. It must stay perfectly straight.
You could do this in between the flushes with water, simple green or dish detergent, and the snake-brush.
And, as you likely already do, wash the mouthpiece frequently with hot soapy water.

[MiBrassFs]

I’ve never used alcohol to clean an instrument. Interesting that people do that. I’ve used the green alcohol mouthpiece spray to disinfect a mouthpiece and shot a few spit balls out my horns, but for cleaning (when not using a commercial acid cleaning tank or ultrasonic tank) I use 6% cleaning vinegar followed by a bath using Dawn.