Clean your clarinet – Liz’s rant

Well, this is just gross. Not surprising, but gross to think about, nonetheless. Especially seeing how Kate and I were both clarinet players, among other instruments. And we were pretty good, too (if memory serves). Who hasn’t been in the band for that matter – or at least given it some consideration somewhere between fifth grade and high school?? Well, let’s just say that this study may find you playing a different tune. Or at the least, you’ll be sanitizing the ol’ tuba nightly .

A recent study from Oklahoma State University Health Sciences Center has found that a plethora of bacteria, germs and even mold are happily hanging out and growing in school band instruments. The results have led to a call to not only clean and polish the outside, but to sanitize and sterilize the insides.

Now here’s where I get a bit thrown. The lead researcher, Dr. R. Tom Glass, was apparently shocked with the findings that came after two years of research:

“(I was) terribly floored. I had no earthly idea,” he told FOX23 in Tulsa.

Seriously, how are you floored over these findings? I can still picture the trumpet players dumping out their spit valves. Grossed me out then, grosses me out now. Maybe I didn’t think about a family of bacteria camped out inside, but I don’t think it would take a rocket scientist to tell us that when kids put their mouths to any sort of instrument, there will be germs involved. And perhaps they should be cleaned from time to time.

But did we really need a two-year study to figure this out?? I’m just sayin.

-liz