Can I clean saxophone pads with Tascam Rubber Cleaner?

[Gone_Acoustic]

I have an inexpensive (and used) Bundy tenor sax and keys stick slightly. The pads aren't dirty, not gunky and not cracked.

 

I read that you can use lighter fluid to swab them with a q-tip. Well, I have Tascam Rubber Cleaner - made of "petroleum distillate" used to clean rubber pinch-rollers and other rubber parts of cassette recorders. Can I use that?

 

What do they use for pads material, anyway? It's not real leather on cheap student models, is it?

 

Thanks!

[sunburstbasser]

I don't know on the Bundys what they use.

 

You can use a dollar bill. Slide it in, close the key, and pull it out. It'll clean a bit of the gunk out.

[Gone_Acoustic]

how do you get the dollar bill into the smaller valves? those that are surrounded by other stuff?

[Rowka]

With careful persistence.

[sunburstbasser]

Get yourself some rolling papers. They'll do the job and it won't matter if you need to cut one up to make it fit.

[Gone_Acoustic]

now, what about the rubber cleaner? petroleum distillates? isn't that good for the pads? keep 'em from drying out? just wondering.

 

thanks.

[Rowka]

I'd say forget the rolling paper. Not abrasive enough and not tough enough. That's whay dollars (the newer the better) work so well.

 

I've used ligher fluid on a q-tip to get some nasty-gunky off of pads with good results.

[Gone_Acoustic]

yeah, i've read bad things about those powder papers too. i mean, i'm a "nobody" in the world of saxophones, but... it made sense.

 

my pads don't seem to have any gunk, they look clean and feel clean/dry to the touch, but nonetheless they stick somewhat. i'm gonna try the rubber cleaner.