Harmonica Maintenance ...

In normal use, the only cleaning a harmonica requires is to be tapped on the palm of the hand to remove moisture, and to be wiped clean with a lint-free cloth.  Do not poke matchsticks etc into the mouthpiece as you could damage the reeds.

Let you harmonica dry out naturally after playing – especially if it has a wooden comb – before putting it back in its case.  Avoid the temptation of leaving it to dry near a fire or radiator.

Do try to be a “dry” harmonica player – excess saliva running through your instrument will soon give it sticky reeds and valves, leading to problems with intonation and shortening the life or your harmonica.

Avoid playing your harmonica just after eating (or cleaning your teeth).  Food particles and harmonica reeds do not co-exist well!

Avoid sweet or alcoholic beverages while playing – the sugary content will eventually build up on the reeds, causing sticking and tuning problems.  

Don’t oil or grease the slide on you chromatic harmonica as this attracts dust and dirt and will make any problem worse.

Don’t ever soak a harmonica in water, beer or whisky – although it might seem to make you harmonica more airtight at first, as soon as it begins to dry out, it will have the opposite effect.  A wooden comb will shrink and possibly split, and the reed plate and reeds will rust.

Smoking while playing the harmonica can seriously damage the harmonica reeds

And block the valve on a chromatic harmonica..