How to clean your oboe, and why
Daily cleaning of the oboe is mostly about removing moisture from the bore, but periodically, more thorough cleaning is necessary. Neglecting to keep the oboe clean will eventually be detrimental to the playability of the instrument. Don’t neglect your beloved instrument!
As you blow through the oboe, particles from your mouth can collect inside the bore of the instrument. The keys and pads may also suffer as oils from your hands tarnish the keys or cause pads to swell. To clean the oboe use a swab to dry the inside of the bore and a brush and polishing cloth to clean the outside keywork.
Why should you clean your oboe
If you are reading this you probably don’t need to be convinced to clean your instrument, so go ahead and switch to the next section. Just in case your still on the fence somehow, I will briefly go through the worst things that I have seen happen with oboes that do not get cleaned regularly. Most of these issues are caused by moisture sitting in the oboe overtime which can turn the oboe into a petri dish fit for the biology lab.
- Increase risk of cracking
- Gurgling noises when playing
- Decomposing of cork pads
- Warping of wood to affect intonation
- A noxious smell…. Gross
- Sediment collecting in the oboe affecting the action of the keys and pads
Often student oboes are in the worst shape. If you feel that you will be late to class if you clean your instrument, either take the oboe with your or get a pass! Some school oboes I have seen look like biohazards from neglect and lack of cleaning. I don’t want to need a Hazmat Suit to teach a lesson.
What you should clean your oboe with!
Swabs- can be made from Cotton or Silk I recommend using silk because it is more absorbent, and is simple to clean. Often cotton swabs will release fibers that can become lint in the instrument. Silk swabs can even be washed in a washing machine, just use a mesh bag so the cord doesn’t tangle. This is the most popular cleaning tool and the one I recommend using.
Feathers- This was once the most popular way to clean the instrument. Feathers are great because the fibers can get into the tone holes and wick away moisture, but there are drawbacks. The fibers of the feather can break off and get stuck in the smaller tone holes like the octave vents, and they must be replaced regularly. Feathers are inexpensive but the replacement rate can be a pain.
Mops- these are cloth fibers wrapped around a metal rod that come in two sizes for each of the oboe’s major joints. I find these easy to use and cheap to buy. However they do not seem to do a great job of drying out the whole oboe.
Cigarette paper– this is a must have. Use this to clean out water from keys that get large drops of water in them when playing. It will keep much frustration from rehearsals and practice sessions. Make sure the paper is not covered in a waxy film.
Small Paint Brush- This can be picked up at your local hardware or craft store. It is used for brushing away dust and debris that may get stuck in or in between the keys.
Cotton swab/Q-tip- Cotton Swabs can be used to clean hard to reach places or inside or tone holes..
Daily Cleaning
Every time you play the oboe, the heat of the breath causes moisture to condense on the surfaces of the instrument. The moisture is mostly NOT spit, but water vapor collected from the air. If the moisture is not removed it may cause warping of the wood or even cracks, Moisture is not your friend! To avoid this terrible fate simply swab your oboe regularly during long rehearsals and before you put it away for the day.
After every hour or so of playing it is important that you use a swab to clean out the inside of the oboe with a swab. To use the swab with the oboe assembled, put the weighted end into the bell and drop it so it comes out of the reed well of the top joint. If there is considerable moisture in the bore the weight may get stuck part way through the first time. Just pull it back out and drop it in again from a higher point.
Next, pull the weight to draw the swap through the oboe at least once, I like to use an extra long swab so I can pull the swab back through the bell a few times so I can swab back and forth through the inside of the instrument.
Most swabs are not long enough for this however and it may be better to take the oboe apart before swabbing. The last thing you want is a knot to form and get the swab stuck in your oboe. I show how my beginner students to swab the oboe in the video to the right.
Once I have cleaned the bore I also like to use the swab to clean the moisture that has collected in the joints especially the wells of the middle joint and bell.
Lastly I need to remove any moisture from inside troublesome tone holes.
I use cigarette paper to absorb water that may have collected during rehearsal and blow through the top joint to force the water into the paper. My favorite cigarette paper is from OCB but any kind that does not have a wax film will work. I made a video of how to get the water out of a key this way which you can see by clicking here.
Most swabs are not long enough for this however and it may be better to take the oboe apart before swabbing. The last thing you want is a knot to form and get the swab stuck in your oboe. I show how my beginner students to swab the oboe in the video to the right.
Once I have cleaned the bore I also like to use the swab to clean the moisture that has collected in the joints especially the wells of the middle joint and bell.
Lastly I need to remove any moisture from inside troublesome tone holes.
I use cigarette paper to absorb water that may have collected during rehearsal and blow through the top joint to force the water into the paper. My favorite cigarette paper is from OCB but any kind that does not have a wax film will work. I made a video of how to get the water out of a key this way which you can see by clicking here.
What if my swab gets stuck in my instrument!?
I teach my beginners to always check their swab for knots before cleaning but sometimes the swab escapes scrutiny and the knot gets caught in the tapering bore of the oboe.
If your swab gets stuck in your instrument DO NOT keep pulling. If the tail of the swab is long enough it can usually be pulled back through the bottom if the joints are taken apart. If not don’t panic.
Do go See a repair person who will use a special spiral hook to catch and extract the swab from the bottom of the oboe. If a repair person is not available, I offer two DIY options, but never try these unless it is an absolute emergency!
A rual band director once removed my swab, when a knot got it stuck in the top joint, with some 18 cm long surgical forceps. Usually these are reserved for heart surgery but they were long and skinny enough for him to reach into the bore from below and not scratch the sides as he gripped the swab and pulled it out. I was amazed.
I once got my swab stuck before a big audition in college, and instead of doing the right thing and waiting for a repair person to do it, I fashioned a hook from a very thin knitting needle and twisted it around the inside of the oboe until it caught the swab. I do not recommend trying this unless absolutely necessary but cutting a thin line around the needle with a very sharp serrated knife did the trick that day.
Special occasion cleaning
Sometimes deeper cleaning is needed, usually a good repair person will take care of this as part of annual maintenance, but I have seen many neglect the cleaning so I will do some deeper cleaning in between maintenance.
Every month or so I like to polish the keys and remove any debris that has collected on the keys.This debri can get into the holes of the keys and affect intonation so do not neglect this step! Additionally, every few months I remove the octave vents and clean out any gunk from inside, and twice a year I will remove all the keys and clean the tone holes. It always shocks me how much black film has collected in the tone holes, and the oboe always plays much better in tune after this deep cleaning.
Polishing
To keep the oboe looking great a polishing cloth can help bring the shine back into the keys and keep dust from collecting in between cracks in the metal keywork. If you use a non-chemical microfiber cloth it can even be used to clean the wood. Do not use traditional silver polish cloths on the wood however.
I recommend polishing the keys no more than once a week as the polish will slowly wear away the silver plating and only the nickel base will remain exposed. Otherwise have fun!
Dusting and Picking
Use a small paint brush to sweep away any dust from around the keys and from the wood. Additionally you can use a piece of cane from a dead reed or scraps from cane processing to pick away at any grease build up around the keys. Just having your hands on the keys for so long can leave some greasy deposits especially around the holes on the keys of the b-key or e-key. You may find the intonation of some notes improve after cleaning these away.
Removing keys for cleaning
The most common and frequent complaint is excessive water in the octave vents. I purchased an octave vent remover from midwest musical imports a few years ago and have been happy with how easy it is to remove the vents and clean inside. I use a cotton swab to wipe away any built up sediment and was shocked by how much black film came out of my oboe.
Remember to screw the octave vents in tightly when replacing. We don’t want any leaks in any oboes!
At least once a year a repair technician should remove all the keys and clean out the tone holes. If you are having strange intonation problems and feel it might be because of build up in the tone holes do not be shy. Just stay organized and carefully remove each key and place them in an orderly way on a white cloth on your working desk. Clean the oil off the rods before replacing them and add new oil as you screw them back into place.
Use a cotton swab to clean out the tone holes by twisting the swab inside of each hole. You may be surprised by the amount of black gunk that comes out.
