Flute Maintenance/Repair Tips

Anytime you're done playing, ALWAYS wipe out the inside of the flute with a soft cloth.

Never leave anything moist sitting inside the flute (IE. those long fuzzy things), they can rot the coating on the flute.

Make sure never to press on the rods and keys when assembling/disassembling the flute.

When it comes to minor adjustments of screws on the flute, only use the proper tools, and make sure you know what you're doing. I really messed up my first flute because I was unsure.

Don't overtighten screws; they'll slow down the action

NEVER NEVER NEVER bend the keys to make them cover the holes better. I've seen many good instruments turned to trash because of this.

Major repairs must only be done by a professional. Speak to your local instrument dealer for a list of names

If you have a professional instrument, make sure it's repaired by a repairman who specializes in professional instruments. It's a little more, but worth the money

Don't use any kind of silver or metal polish on the flute, no matter what material your flute is made of (I've even seen turtle wax used!).

Never soak any part of your flute in water or any other fluid... it will wreck the pads, screws, action, finish; basically everything.

Get a good silver polishing cloth, it's really worth it.

Get a small tube of cork grease for a piccolo, but use it sparingly and only on the cork on the body joint

Cork grease can be used on the cork in the head joint, but use very little, and only use if the cork is REALLY dry.

If the joints on the flute get sticky, clean them very well with your silver cloth. Or if you don't have that, use dry, soft gauze or cheesecloth.

Dents and dings in the flute, if minor, do not necessarily need to be repaired. If they're big, ONLY a professional can fix them.

Check out my Flute Links page for websites of flute makers and repair people.




Even after 10 years of playing the flute, and being able to play on everything from silver plated to solid gold, I still don't trust myself to do anything other than minor adjustments (tighten/loosen screws, cleaning, and basic maintenance). My flute is worth too much to me to screw it up.