Topmusicanswers
Flutes turn brown due to tarnish. The tarnish is the result of a chemical reaction between the silver of a flute and the various compounds it comes into contact with. ... Even so, it may cause problems if allowed to fully erode, so it is best to clean the tarnish off.
- What causes a flute to tarnish?
- How do I get tarnish off my flute?
- How do you stop a flute from rusting?
What causes a flute to tarnish?
What causes tarnish? The very dark almost black looking tarnish is caused by exposing the silver to sulfur. In the presence of hydrogen sulfide in the atmosphere, silver forms a film of silver sulfide which is black in color. When silver sulfide forms on the surface of your flute, it darkens the silver.
How do I get tarnish off my flute?
To clean a tarnished flute, start by rubbing down the flute with a silver polishing cloth and then use an anti-tarnish silver polish with a microfiber cloth to rub the area until the tarnish slowly disappears.
How do you stop a flute from rusting?
Use silver polish (Wrights silver cream and a Q-tip) but do not get any water or polish on the pads. Then wipe it clean with a soft cloth (damp when needed), again being careful around the pads. Silver cream does not hurt the flute, and it extends the shine and life of the silver plating.
