Why Does My Saxophone Smell Bad?

One of the most dreaded occurrences for a saxophonist is for their instrument to start smelling bad. If this has happened to you, you’re probably wondering why it happened and what you can do about it. So, what’s going on?

Saxophones start to smell bad due to a gradual buildup of saliva in the absence of proper cleaning. The smell gets worse when the dried saliva is reactivated and added to after each playing session. The only way to remove the odor is through a deep cleaning.

In other words, moisture accumulates inside the instrument due to the condensation of your breath against the cold metal. Spit that remains in your saxophone after you play eventually dries and hardens into a residue. However, it becomes a fluid again each time you play, and this gradually builds up. If enough of it accumulates, you’ll get a nasty smell.

Admittedly, this is a difficult problem to deal with because it has no easy fix. We’ll discuss your options for dealing with this as well as preventative measures you can take in the future.

How to deal with a bad smell

The most effective way to get rid of a bad smell in a saxophone is to deep clean it. This involves taking the saxophone apart completely. It is a bad idea to attempt this yourself unless you are willing to risk damage. 

Unfortunately, deep cleaning a saxophone is a difficult process which is best left to a skilled repair person. There are a few things that you can do to lessen the smell yourself (such as cleaning the mouthpiece and the case), but if you choose to do the deep cleaning yourself then you risk not being able to put your saxophone back together after you take it apart.

Cleaning the body and neck

This is the most difficult part of the cleaning process, and it is the only part which I strongly recommend that you outsource. Find a skilled repair person who specializes in the saxophone, if possible. The saxophone needs to have every key taken off for this, and it’s easy to mess that up.

I’m honestly not experienced enough with this process to explain it, but this video offers a detailed guide on how to do it. If you truly have to do it yourself, I recommend watching it and internalizing the information as much as possible.

Cleaning the mouthpiece

You can clean your mouthpiece with lukewarm water and a soft toothbrush. If it is still dirty, you can use baby shampoo to clean off the excess grit. 

Fortunately, cleaning the mouthpiece is a much easier process which you can absolutely do yourself.

You don’t need any fancy chemicals or cleaners for this. You should avoid abrasive cleaners as much as possible, as they will destroy the mouthpiece. Warm (but not hot, nor cold) water will almost always do the trick, and if it doesn’t then something as simple as baby shampoo should.  

Make sure that you are being gentle with the toothbrush. The mouthpiece can easily be scratched if you brush too hard. That being said, you also want to get inside the mouthpiece as much as possible. 

It is even acceptable to submerge your mouthpiece in water to help with the cleaning process – just don’t leave it there overnight. Soak it for ten minutes or so, then remove it.

Cleaning the case

The saxophone case can be cleaned with activated charcoal. Leave the charcoal in the case overnight (closed, without the saxophone), and any stench in the felt will be gone by the next day.

Sometimes the bad smell spreads to the saxophone case. While you can’t exactly soak the felt with water, activated charcoal makes for an excellent cleaner in this case. It simply deactivates whatever is producing the odor.

Just make sure to cover all inner surfaces of the saxophone case and to vacuum it out thoroughly the next day. 

If for some reason this isn’t working, buying a new case usually isn’t a big deal. It isn’t ideal, but it is definitely worth the money if you can’t get rid of the smell.

You’ll sometimes hear about carpet cleaner being recommended for cases. I don’t recommend this. Carpet cleaner is toxic, and you probably don’t want to go anywhere near it (at least I certainly don’t). Stick to the charcoal.  

Preventing the bad smell

You can prevent your saxophone from smelling bad by swabbing each part of it multiple times after each time you play. Avoid leaving the reed on the mouthpiece, as this prevents it from drying out and allows algae (which contributes to the foul odor) to grow.

If your saxophone smells bad, then you most likely skipped out on basic saxophone hygiene. Fortunately, there’s always time to improve.

Make sure that you are swabbing out every part of your saxophone multiple times after each playing session. This includes the body, the neck, and the mouthpiece. Swabbing each part three times should do the trick. Let the reed sit out on a glass or ridged surface (if possible), and don’t leave it on the mouthpiece. If you don’t already have a swab attached to a weight, you can find one here.

If you are planning on setting aside your saxophone for an extended period of time (such as a few months or more), it is especially important that your saxophone is clean before you do so. Swab it a few extra times for good measure if you’ve played it recently, and make sure that you don’t leave a wet reed in your case. 

Never skip out on cleaning your saxophone if possible. The more diligent you are about it, the more you will save yourself trouble later on.

Conclusion

Having a saxophone that smells bad is an unpleasant experience. It can be somewhat difficult to get it back to normal, but it is well-worth trying if you wish to continue playing.

I hope this guide has helped you to better deal with your saxophone’s hygiene!