Flute care & maintenance - Looking after your Flute

Eagle Music Shop has a fully equipped on-site workshop facility and offers a full set-up and repair service for all instruments.

Cleaning and Maintenance

It is important to treat your flute with the utmost care as minor damages can make the instrument leak air, play out of tune or even be impossible to play at all, especially in the case of flutes that have keys!

Take care when assembling your flute and alway rotate in in the same direction as you assemble each section and align the holes for playing, from time to time apply a small amount of Cork Grease onto the joints to ease assemble and protect the cork joint.

On keyed flutes, it is important to inspect the cork pads from time to time and ensure that they are seating correctly and not ‘losing air’. take special care at all times not to bend the keys.

After each use, clean out the bore of your flute and remove any moisture or dirt that has settled there. This can be done with what is called a ‘pull through’ you can make simple pull through with a thin piece of string or nylon cord with a tiny lead weight on one end and a piece of lint free rag on the other end. the rag can be impregnated with a drop of almond oil to oil the bore as you pull through. You can also use a manufactured flute mop which is made from lint free wadding held in position by thin wire that is wrapped around it and also forms a long shaft and handle.

Wipe over the outside of your flute from time to time with a lint free rag impregnated with a small amount of almond oil, take care not to bend any of the keys. Do not use excessive amounts of oil each time you clean your wooden flute, a small amount is sufficient keep the timber from drying out.

Please Note: Never use any other kind of oil other than ‘edible’ oil on your flute. Industrial type oils can poison you.

Always put your flute back in its case when not in use. Eagle have dedicated Extreme Protection cases for flutes and whistles.