How do you clean a saxophone after playing?

The five-minute routine after playing

Always follow the same order, with the case open beside you, so you don’t leave the sax balanced on a chair while you look for accessories.

1. Remove the ligature and reed. Wipe moisture from the reed with your fingers, from the base toward the tip, and put it in its reed holder.
2. Gently twist the mouthpiece off the neck and wipe the inside with a clean cloth.
3. Remove the neck, holding it by the tube, never the octave key, and pass its small swab through two or three times.
4. Feed the body swab’s weight into the bell, turn the sax so it travels down the tube and out through the neck socket, then pull slowly. Repeat two or three times.
5. Dry any damp pads with absorbent paper, especially those that stay closed, such as the G sharp pad.
6. Wipe fingerprints off the body and keys with microfiber, then put everything in the case.

The swab should be made of absorbent fabric (chamois, microfiber, or silk) and sized for your sax: a tenor swab is too tight in an alto, and an alto swab won’t fully dry a tenor. Wash it occasionally and let it dry spread out, rather than rolled up in the case.

Mouthpiece, ligature, and reeds

The mouthpiece

Once a week, wash it with cold water, a little mild soap, and a mouthpiece brush. Rinse and let it air-dry. If it is made of ebonite (the black material used in most student mouthpieces), hot water and sunlight will discolor it and may warp it. Do not scrape the tip or the rails where the reed rests: a scratch there changes the sound permanently.

Loosen the ligature after playing, and don’t overtighten it while playing, as this can strip the screws. If you also play clarinet, mouthpiece and ligature care is much the same; we explain it in how to clean and care for a clarinet.

The reeds

• Never leave the reed on the mouthpiece inside the case: it warps, chips, and develops mold.
• Store it flat in a reed holder, which keeps it straight as it dries.
• Rotate three or four reeds: they last longer, and you learn which responds best.
• Moisten it for a few seconds before playing; don’t leave it soaking for long periods.
• Discard it if the tip is chipped, it’s wavy or stained, or it no longer responds well.

Reed strength depends on your mouthpiece and playing level, and it’s best to choose it with your teacher. We cover this in our guide to choosing your first saxophone.

Sticky pads: why it happens and what to do

A sticky pad may make a small clicking sound when you open the key, or cause a note to speak late. It happens when sugar, food residue, and saliva build up on the pad’s leather and the tone hole rim (the chimney). Pads that stay closed are most affected: G sharp, low C sharp, and low E flat.

How to treat it

1. Place thin, ungummed absorbent paper (pad paper or rolling paper without adhesive) between the pad and tone hole rim.
2. Gently close the key for a few seconds, release it, and remove the paper.
3. Repeat with a clean section until the paper comes out without marks. Don’t pull the paper while the key is closed: you could tear the leather.
4. If the problem returns after a few days, the pad may be old or misshapen: take the sax to a technician.

How to prevent it

Brush your teeth or rinse your mouth before playing, avoid playing right after drinking soda or eating candy, and dry damp pads before storing the sax. Never use alcohol, oil, loose talc, or spray cleaners on the pads: alcohol dries out the leather, and the others only mask the problem for a few days.

Exterior, finish, and mechanism

Most student saxophones are lacquered (the shiny gold finish). A dry microfiber cloth after playing is enough, since hand sweat is acidic and stains the lacquer over time. Never use metal polish or polishing creams: they eat away at the lacquer. If your sax is silver-plated, use a cloth made for silver.

The mechanism (the rods and screws on which the keys pivot) occasionally needs a drop of key oil, but that’s a technician’s job. Never use cooking oil or multipurpose spray lubricants on the keys.

If the mouthpiece is very tight on the neck cork, apply a tiny amount of cork grease. If it’s loose and wobbles, the cork is worn and a technician can replace it quickly. When assembling, hold the neck by the tube and the body by the key-free area near the bell: pressure on the octave key or rods is the most common way to throw them out of adjustment.

Neck strap, stand, and case

Occasionally check that the strap hook closes securely, isn’t cracked if it’s plastic, and that the adjustment doesn’t slip while you play. Replace the strap if the elastic or leather has stretched, and don’t stand up or bend down with the sax hanging without supporting it with one hand.

During breaks, use a saxophone stand. A chair, bed, or floor isn’t safe: the sax can roll, someone can sit on it or kick it, and a bent key won’t seal.

• The sax shouldn’t move inside the closed case; if it does, the padding is worn.
• Don’t put sheet music, stands, or cables where they could press on the keys.
• Put the neck and mouthpiece in their compartments and close every latch.
• Don’t leave it in a car trunk or in the sun: heat affects the pads and can damage the lacquer.

In humid climates, such as on the coast, leave the case open in the shade for a while after playing. Find more details in how to store instruments for Colombia’s climate.

Maintenance schedule and technician visits

Don’t wait for the annual check if low notes won’t speak or take effort, a note sounds airy, or a key was bent in a knock. It’s usually a leak, and blowing harder to compensate creates bad embouchure habits.

Your teacher can tell whether a note won’t speak because of your technique or the instrument. Find vetted saxophonists in our teacher directory, and see how lessons work on our saxophone lessons page.

Things you should never do to your saxophone

• Store a fuzzy pad saver (the fluffy brush inserted into the body) inside the sax: it holds moisture against the pads. Use it to dry the instrument, then remove it.
• Pull hard on a stuck swab. Remove it the way it went in; if it won’t come out, see a technician.
• Wash the whole sax with water: the leather and felt pads will be ruined.
• Use pliers to remove a stuck mouthpiece or neck.
• Lend your mouthpiece: for hygiene, every saxophonist should have their own.

Frequently asked questions