Re: Help! Moldy tuba-case


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Posted by Wade on February 08, 2004 at 13:12:13:

In Reply to: Help! Moldy tuba-case posted by P-J on February 08, 2004 at 06:57:29:

P-J,

In our shop, we use a number of things. I would recommend using Lysol (or anything else that will kill mold or mildew). Lysol seems to not rot out the foam padding beneath the plush. I have heard that other products will do this, but have never seen it for myself.

Do the following during a stretch of hot, dry weather:

1. After downing a few cold ones, spray the case down until it is wet-feeling. The stank-nastiness is mostly in the plush, but is also in the padding as well, so it needs to get wet.

2. Take that nice floor scrubbing brush (that you should have bought when you got that Lysol) and scrub the entire case liner. Try to use some common sense (despite those 3 beers you consumed prior to starting this little project) regarding how vigorous to do this and when to stop. It is better to under-do this and do it again in a few days than to trash the case liner, so think while you scrub!

3. Take the case outside and open it to the sun. Leave it alone for a few (3) hours. Spend that time downing more cold ones. Go the the store for more if needed - we are talking about killing three freaking hours after all! Wander back out to your case your few hours have passed and turn the case to get it in the sun again. (You can do this more often if you think that this is fun or whatever - 3 hours seems to be the minimum to keep up with the Earth's rotation and the depth of the case . . . )

4. Let the case dry like this for a couple of days, bringing it in when it gets dark. When you bring it back in overnight, keep it closed, unless the smell of Lysol just turns you on or something . . .

5. When dry, determine whether or not you need to repeat this process (the Lysol/scrubbing - not the beer consumption). If not, go on to the next step. If you do need to repeat this process then have at it, man!

6. Break out that bottle of Febreeze that you wisely purchased when you bought the Lysol and the brush. (Good thinking, guy!) Spray down the entire case interior yet again. Do this outside. Febreeze works as it dries, and the sun is a mighty fine dryer. Even though Febreeze works quite well, you will probably want to do this step about three times.

7. Let the case sit open indoors for a day or so. (Mmmm . . . Febreeze . . . mmm . . . )

8. Climb inside the case, close the lid, and sniff. Does it still stink? No? Good; you are done. Yes? Do the whole process again. (Getting inside of the case is purely an optional step that many of us choose not to do. You're the man on the scene - so you call the shots here . . . )

__________________________________

Additionally, loose padding can be affixed with hot glue. Try to be neat. If you screw up with the hot glue, wiping excess off with you fingers is not recommended. (Ouch!!)

The exterior may be scrubbed with the contents of that nice bottle of Westley's Bleche-White that you also decided to buy. (It is pronounced Bleach-White and is available only at the finest Wal-Marts and Auto Zones). Use that nice stiff-bristled floor brush you cleverly decided to purchase earlier to scrub it in.

If the case is fabric covered, you can use good, old Elmer's glue to tack down any torn sections. Use a permanent marker to color in the exposed spots. Matching the color of the marker to the case is purely optional; it is your case, after all . . . BTW - you did remember to purchase that marker when you got the Lysol, Febreeze, brush, hot glue gun, hot glue sticks, and Bleche-White, didn't you? And I hope that you remembered to grab yourself a nice half-rack of your favorite beverage while on this little foray to Wal-Mart.

Replacement hardware can sometimes be had at a local shop. But it will not match yours if the case is that old. If you need hardware replaced and do not care to pay a shop tech to do it for you at a music store, then e-mail me and I will tell you how to do this as well. (Note - there are some shops that will not sell you case hardware unless you have them install it for you. This is totally fair. If they balk at selling you case hardware, don't argue. Just leave. It is their business, after all.)

Plastic/Fiberglass/Woodwork should be left to the pros.

Good luck and try to have some fun de-funking you case.

Wade "pulled a desiccated mouse corpse out of a 1927 York tuba the other day - after I had played it!" Rackley


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