Keeping It Clean - Part II

Grey microfiber cloth inside case cover of a new Powell flute

We recently had a customer ask about how one should go about cleaning their microfiber cloths, and in an earlier post, we discussed a few options.  Follow this link to read that post, titled "Keeping It Clean."

However, in addition to the cleaning methods we discussed before, we've discovered yet another helpful product specifically for cleaning microfiber cloths: MicroRestore Microfiber Detergent.  Powell's Repair Technician, Rachel Baker, shared this one with us.  Although she ran across the product in car detailing shops, she said that you can purchase it online now, too.  The product description from www.microfibertech.com reads as follows:

Micro-Restore is an optimized blend of chelating agents, surfactants, and builders in an aqueous system. It provides excellent cleaning performance to effectively remove stubborn soils and oily residue from microfiber, cotton and chamois material. Micro-Restore emulsifies dirty motor oil, greasy soils, car wax and protein stains, and suspends them for complete removal in the rinse cycle. Restores like new performance through several hundred cleanings.

Why is Micro-Restore better than your common household detergent? Micro-Restore is better than your common household detergent because most detergents and laundry soaps have some form of bleach and fabric softener included in their formulas (even when they say they don't there are small traces). Over time bleach breaks down the micro-fibers, and fabric softeners clog the microscopic pours that make microfiber so effective, rendering the microfiber product less effective with each washing.

Not only will Micro-Restore extend the life of your microfiber, but it's special blend of chelating agents, surfactants, and builders will more effectively remove the heavy residue (wax, oil, grease, break dust, and other chemicals) that becomes implanted in microfiber products when used in heavy cleaning situations (car care).

Directions: Add 2 ounces to standard size (8 gallon) loads. For larger loads or heavily soiled laundry, add 3-6 ounces. As a prespotter: dilute 1 part concentrate with 3 parts water. Apply to stain and launder as usual.

It is available through many sites online, including the MicrofiberTech website, Amazon, Detailer's Domain, Detailed Image, and AutoGeek.net.

Tarnishing from Cloth?

Anti-tarnish shield (being applied here) can get worn away by some cloths and chemicals.

We stopped in to the repair shop this week, and our repair technician told us that she had a customer who called with a tarnishing problem.  She said the customer had used a treated polishing cloth and could not understand why her flute was tarnishing right after she polished it with the cloth.  We knew quite well that our repair technician frowns upon flutists using anything other than a plain, microfiber cloth on their flutes, so we thought this would be a good chance to find out more about the "perils" of the treated polishing cloth.

Our repair technician told us that the treated polishing cloths contain polish, and polish is abrasive.  So, if you are using a treated cloth, you will wear away the protective anti-tarnish shield that covers the flute.  Once the anti-tarnish shield is worn away, the flute is prone to tarnish faster.  So, even though the customer had just polished her flute, it was shiny -- but it was also vulnerable to tarnish faster, and that is exactly what happened!

Our repair technician tells us that tarnish is "a personal thing," and that some people have a body chemistry that makes their flutes tarnish faster, and some people have flutes that never tarnish.  However, we do know that anything that would wear away or dissolve the anti-tarnish shield is not good for your flute.  As mentioned above, polishes and cloths treated with polish are abrasive and will wear through the protective coating.  If you use alcohol on your lip plate to clean it, that is okay -- as long as you use it only on the lip plate.  Make sure never to wipe the rest of the flute with alcohol, because alcohol will dissolve the anti-tarnish shield.

If you are curious as to what the anti-tarnish shield is, we have a previous post on it, which you can read by following this link.  We realize that having a shiny flute is nice, but make sure that you are using only a plain cloth  to shine it -- and nothing that will eat through the flute's protective anti-tarnish coating.

The Anti-Tarnish Square

The anti-tarnish square in the case

Have you ever wondered what that little square sponge is inside your Powell flute case?  Maybe you've seen it in some of our photos on Facebook, too.  Well, if you order a new Powell and see it there in the case, don't throw it out.  It's not an extra packing sponge or cushion for the G# key.  It is actually an anti-tarnish sponge.  When your case is closed, it helps create an "environment" that will keep your flute from tarnishing.  Powell's Vice President of Production, Rob Viola, shared the story behind the square.  He said that it was really quite simple -- he got it at a place that sells tools.  As he recalls, it was being used in packaging ball bearings to help keep them dry.  He figured it would work well as an anti-tarnish piece in the flute case, so he gave it a try.  It worked very well, and it also fit better in the case than the typical anti-tarnish strips.

At Powell, we also hand treat each flute with an anti-tarnish coating as part of the finishing process.  So, with the protection of the coating plus the safe environment created in the case by the sponge, your flute should be happy and tarnish-free.  Also, always remember to wipe your flute only with a microfiber cloth.  A microfiber cloth, as opposed to a polishing cloth, is free of any chemicals or solutions -- so it is safe.  As tempting as it is to use polishing cloths, Rob reminded us that anything that makes your flute "shiny" will wear it down.  So, trust in the power of the plain, microfiber cloth to keep your flute clean -- and don't throw out the little square sponge in the case!