How To Clean Your Harmonica Without Any Chemicals Using An Ultra Sonic Cleaner

[@TomlinHarmonica]

✏ Get your FREE harmonica tab PDF and audio clips here 👉 foxly.link/f5gidD

[@huvamae]

For many years I used a soft toothbrush, and toothpaste containing a natural mild abrasive, on a disassembled harp . Lazy me---3 or 4 yrs ago,I bought an ultrasound, to experiment with cleaning the harps fully assembled . I replaced the plate screws with stainless screws (everything else, already is non corrosive) and I've cleaned the harps a few times assembled (all I add to the tap water is a bit of white vinegar) Then I blow some water through the harp, tap it out, and set it aside to dry. Yes I probably am leaving some gorp behind in the harp, but I feel like most of it is off the reeds themselves. My subjective verdict (for what it's worth): Assembled cleaning is not terrible. But once the harp is apart, I might as well take out the brush, the paste and now I rinse with the machine. I only clean when the reeds get sticky. so now I first pop the harps into the machine. and only reach for the screwdriver when the bubbles don't work. Hopefully, in the ideal future, I'd clean more often with the machine and avoid the sticky's.. Wish any cleaning was as much fun as playing........

[@HorseshoerCL]

My Buddy and I were wondering how to conduct some preventative maintenance to prolong the life of my lower and higher priced harmonicas. The lower quality harmonicas do not even play anymore. Some of the ones that are higher grade Hohner and Lee Oskar (A, C, and G) are beginning to play with sticky reeds. I have a sonic cleaner for gun parts and now it’ll service my harmonicas. I appreciate you taking the time to share. - Maker Hop Sing

[@karlbeck9869]

This is a great technique. I picked up a sonic cleaner at Harbor Freight for less than $30 (don't know what that is in pounds or quids or whatever you guys use!) a couple years back. I do use a cleaner (Purple Power) & scrub gently with a soft (old) toothbrush being careful not to grab the reeds. After the reeds are cleaned, I get rid of the cleaner smell with rubbing alcohol. While you have them apart this far, it's a good time to tune/tweak them. Perhaps you can show that in yet another video. Thanks brother!

[@derrabe6253]

Perfekt! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻Greetings from Germany, Steffen

[@johanvanholland6074]

Best explanation so far!

[@JordonBaade]

Picked up the ultrasonic cleaner in your link and got it today, didn't have the right screwdriver handy to get my harmonica completely apart but you could definitely tell by the water after the cleaning that my Harmonica needed it! Thanks Tomlin :)

[@nevmayor4617]

Hi Tomlin. Warm water with a drop of washing up liquid works a treat in an ultrasonjc cleaner, I've been doing it for years.Cheers-johny gob iron (Nev)

[@montana216]

Will the ultrasonic cleaner not clean it without taking it appart?

[@piecetoyou8285]

Great info thanks', would you clean the chromatic in the same way

[@MrAvalon20]

Hi Tomlin, thanks for the video. Just one question, though. Do the read plates have any indication as to the key of the harmonica? I'm thinking about, where you your might want to clean two harps at a time, and didn't want to get them mixed up.

[@ronhammar1154]

I just bought a ultrasonic cleaner for eye glasses and I think I will try that with warm water only ! It is a Hohner comet which is plastic and brass so I will just throw it in for maybe an hour? Is that a good idea ?

[@whahala555]

What happens if you but the reed plates in swapped? Also, could you use blow-dryer on the reed plates, instead of need to worry about accidentally pushing them out of place?

[@rockintigger]

6 years ago? No wonder I missed it. Sorry Tomlin. Many thanks for the link 👍😎

[@jantonisito]

Any advice for valved harps?

[@rosco1pug]

don't mess with your valves (unless you want to replace them all as a learning exercise - check YT for how to do that.). They are very fragile.

[@prakashmulay225]

Whether harmonica with valve can be cleaned as per your lesson ? Thanks sir

[@derricksmith1128]

Do you use cold water?

[@janpeters-jansongsproducti1010]

I hear distilled water is a good idea - thoughts?

[@3345646]

Good video. I was hoping you could just drop the harmonica in the ultrasonic cleaner. This helped me decide if I want to buy a ultrasonic cleaner or not.

[@TomlinHarmonica]

Unfortunately not John :-(

[@drummerboy1361]

Can’t see why not if it as a plastic comb just shake it dry and leave it dry properly over night

[@ashleyshayday1526]

@@drummerboy1361 a wood comb swells. And has to be cleaned differently. Now I've seen peoppe who use a plastic comb harmonica and put it in some lukewarm soapy water using a Nature's Promise unscented dish detergent and the used their hands to rub all around the outside and they used a toothbrush they cut the brushes shorter and they used it to clean where you put your mouth just like brushing your teeth. And afterwards they rinsed it out very good and had the holes in the comb facing down as they banged it against their hand to make sure to get a y lose debree or water. And they blowed in it afterwards to help remove more water from inside and then dried it over and they didn't take it apart. Though I imagine it would be good to do so every now and then to avoid sticky reeds and any gunk trapped in there.

[@elrico1364]

hairdryer to clean reed plates.... on warm not hot.. in direction of reeds too. this way you avoid any rubbing that may put reeds out of alignment.

[@ooyginyardel4835]

I put each reed plate in separate sections of the silverware tray of my dishwasher. They came out looking like new. Probably cleaner than when they left the factory.

[@djwhitelaw]

if you have a plastic comb , could you put that in the ultrasonic cleaner ?

[@TomlinHarmonica]

Yes indeed :-)

[@marcdarais609]

Thanks for the suggestion on the good little cleaner. I bought the Ultra Sonic Cleaner you suggested. Seems to be a nice little unit. My harps needed a good cleaning. I like the fact that I can place all on components of my Suzuki Olive and Promaster in the cleaner. I can also do that with my Hohner Special 20 and Golden Melody harps. I agree with the comments that the wood combs should not be placed in the solution, I wait until I they are really dry - haven’t been played for a while - (my Crossovers and Blues harps) and usually the “gunk” just sort of flakes off the combs when I gently scrape them. The one suggestion I would have for you Tomlin - I used a two cup measuring cup and put a cap full of Listerine Ultraclean Cool mint in with the water for two cups of total solution which seem about right to fill up the cleaning tub. It left my harps smelling nice, tasting fresh and probably nicely sanitized. I found that I had a few sticky notes for a bit on my special 20 but they quickly went away. Keep up the good work on your site. I enjoyed your lesson with Filip, he’s quite the player!! Oh I forgot to mention that it did start to take the letter for the key off the aluminum of my Promasters just a bit. So if you are worried about that you may not want to put the comb in, however I ran it two or three times to get it really clean.

[@AJMcFlea]

Does the harmonica really need to be taken apart? If you just stuck it in the ultrasonic cleaner, whole, would that not sterilise the instrument?

[@davidgletne4380]

I found taking apart a harmonica i use Spec 20s. It often never sounds the same again

[@ashleyshayday1526]

A wood comb swells. And has to be cleaned differently. If your looking for an easier harmonica to clean and also good then go with a hohner special 20 with a plastic comb. Easier to clean as well. Now I've seen people who use a plastic comb harmonica and put it in some lukewarm soapy water using a Nature's Promise unscented dish detergent and the used their hands to rub all around the outside and they used a toothbrush they cut the brushes shorter and they used it to clean where you put your mouth just like brushing your teeth. And afterwards they rinsed it out very good and had the holes in the comb facing down as they banged it against their hand to make sure to get a y lose debree or water. And they blowed in it afterwards to help remove more water from inside and then dried it over and they didn't take it apart. Though I imagine it would be good to do so every now and then to avoid sticky reeds and any gunk trapped in there.

[@MartinLinhartHarpPlayer]

Thank you for inspiration! PS: Is it Gustav Klimt's painting in background? ;-)

[@TomlinHarmonica]

Thanks Martin - I'm glad you find it useful. Yes it is a Klimt - not the original though ;-)

[@drtone]

Nice interlude jam!

[@RatRodStudios]

Nicely done ......thank you.

[@Syke492]

Loving it!!

[@smithywick]

Could you not dry the reed plates with a hair dryer so your not pressing on them at all? Just put them on the towel and warm hair dryer?

[@TomlinHarmonica]

That's a great suggestion - I'll give it a go :-)

[@SteveHomer]

do you just use water or are you using a cleaning solution? - my cleaner came with some sort of green cleaning solution.

[@daniel_bond220]

I just bought a crossover. Have any advice ?

[@jwalkerj28]

I know for sure if I ever take Harmonica apart it is never going back together

[@jeffsimslmt]

I notice you’re work surface is a used cutting board. Has anyone suggested something else?

[@TomlinHarmonica]

You can use any work surface you want Jeff :-)

[@michaelstratton6701]

Why wouldn't you have a tooth brush for cleaning the comb?

[@ianstoker1]

That link says that it can't be shipped to the UK 🇬🇧

[@citysurvivor1272]

hi tomlin I was wondering what comb you prefer wood or plastic combs. I am bying them used or seller refurbeshed.

[@frankkerner8699]

Juju in he juju juju juju juju I I I

[@GaryMacAuthor]

Can I soak my crossover-sealed bamboo comb-in water? Thanks!!

[@TomlinHarmonica]

Yes you can :-)

[@bertwerbrouck]

nooooo. Don't do this man, it will ruin your comb :P.

[@davidgletne4380]

Cant afford to take my spec 20s apart they never sound the same when reassembled. Why cant harmonica be put in jewlry cleaner

[@motehopper]

How would you have cleaned the wooden part if it needed it?

[@MrRezillo]

You're supposed to clean it??

[@Flowerchild778]

😂

[@tedmccabe3819]

You know I can never find any links I shrink it and there’s no leaks

[@albertodomingoriviere1588]

What liquid does the machine use?

[@munjasvjetska8985]

He says at one point '' just water''. I think.

[@rickraider3038]

Distilled Water only! Tap water has impurities in it that could damage the brass.

[@eugenelayton5231]

Tap water is fine. Any impurities in the water are very minimal compared to the saliva and other substances in your mouth.in your mouth.

[@alicenicolai6302]

I have the “Super 64x”, rather expensive, how do you reccomend cleaning it, some holes are getting air through well, others, a high bzzzz sound??!!

[@BoazKimMusic]

Alice Niemeyer An ultrasonic cleaner should be fine. In my experience, the wind savers should be okay in it. If they fall off, the glue was weak. Just re-glue them if needed. Sometimes it’s a little bit of gunk that causes a reed to emit a high pitched buzz, it’s out of alignment, and/or it’s a malfunctioning wind saver. I have fixed this many times. You can research this or contact a harmonica repair tech.

[@WoozleEffect]

How does the Ultrasonic Cleaner impact harmonica valves? My harps are all half-valved, using a combination of Seydel factory applied PT Gazel method valves, and custom valving I do myself with bicycle inner-tube material and contact cement.

[@BoazKimMusic]

The Woozle Effect An ultrasonic cleaner should be fine. In my experience, the wind savers should be okay in it. If they fall off, the glue was weak. Just re-glue them if needed.

[@elrico1364]

wood combs and ultra sonics dont get along. synthetics and brass or stainless are fine

[@eugenelayton5231]

For those who worry about hand drying the feed plates, I grab a post by one end, reed side up, then tap the other end 2 or 3 times against my pant leg. Then I grab it by the other end and do the same. You don't need the completely dry but this way the excess water is eliminated. With combs that are not wooden I always run them through my ultrasonic as well. I just use warm tap water to clean mine.

[@sidgrewal8784]

I've normally sprayed mine with wd40. Wrapped it in a plastic overnight and then used contact cleaner in the morning to wash away all the gunk. Would you recommend not doing this?

[@WJV9]

I don't think I would want all those chemicals in my mouth, bad taste for sure.

[@sidgrewal8784]

@@WJV9 contact cleaner is high pressure solvent which evaporates removing the wd40 and gunk. What chemicals are you implying?

[@scottpritchard2446]

Can I sonic clean without taking it apart ?

[@TomlinHarmonica]

Great question Scott. No, if you don't take the harmonica apart then you will just loosen all the dirt in the harmonica so that it can get redistributed within the harmonica.

[@billmccannel1814]

sonic cleaner is good for cleaning .223 brass also...haha

[@estebandiaz1698]

FIRST

[@ashleyshayday1526]

Um. I heard you should wash your harmonica after each daily use. Not days let alone months. That sounds gross and unsanitary to put your mouth there and not have washed it in months. What I want to know is how to clean a wood comb harmonica that you are not suppose to soak in water I heard. I also want to know how to clean a bamboo comb for a hohner crossover harmonica. Do u have to take it apart just like you do with a wood comb harmonica and what tiny tool kit do u need to remove the screws? It seems like a plastic comb harmonica like a hohner special 20 would be easier to clean and you font have to take it apart. Now the hohner marine band harmonica has exposed reel plates and I've heard of famous places playing ut fir hours and ended up with bloody lips. So I'm staying away from that one. But will the hohner crossover that has a bamboo comb also hurt my mouth? I heard it was suppose to be comfortable. But I heard the honer special 20 is very comfortable and great for beginners and something about it being easier to bend notes and blow into 2 holes more easily than a hohner marine band wood comb harmonica. But I heard that the mist comfortable hohner harmonica was the golden Melody. What I want is a great harmonica even if it's expensive like a crossover, but something that is comfortable, has a great pitch and tone, and is easy to clean. So I'm not sure which to go with. The special 20 or the golden Melody or the crossover. What would you suggest and what cleaner should I use if I dont have a ultrasonic washing machine? What is the best ultrasonic washing machines to choose from for a reasonable price? And how should we seal a wood comb and hohner bamboo comb to clean it? Cause I've seen people wet theirs and blow dry it. Can you tell use which tools you needed handy to take your harmonica apart. I know one was a screwdriver but what was the other?