How do I clean a flute?

Swab the inside with the cleaning rod after every single session. Not weekly. Every time. Moisture left in the tube is what ruins pads, and it is also why some flutes come back to our bench smelling like last week’s lunch. That smell is bacteria, and every one of those flutes belonged to a student who skipped the swab.

Related: don’t play the flute right after eating. Brush your teeth and rinse your mouth first. Flute players move a lot of air, and what goes in with the air stays in the instrument, where sugar and food particles settle into the pads and make them stick.

Use two cloths, one for inside, one for the outside. Handle the flute with clean, dry hands, because skin oils tarnish the plating. Take it apart after every session and put it back in the case, holding the smooth ends of each joint as you go. Gripping the keywork while assembling bends the rods, and that is the flute damage we repair most.

Two nevers: never metal polish, never oil. Neither belongs on a student flute and both cause harm. If the flute looks dull or something feels stiff, bring it in. A flute that is cleaned regularly and checked once in a while will outlast the student’s entire school career.