Hygiene

[jdmara]

I've, unfortunately, been on leave for a week from work so I've had plenty of time to think about a million and one things (boy have I been bored). It's been a great opportunity to study for the basketball season though. It's good that work hasn't got in the way of my officiating.com reading

Anyways, I was laying out all my equipment earlier and making sure I have extras of everything in my "gameday bag." Some of my whistles has had their better days to say the least. I started thinking about how many times I've probably dropped a spare whistle (while getting undressed after the game) and, subsequently, placed it in my mouth the next week. Do any of you disinfect your whistles regularly? I currently don't but I don't think it would be a bad idea.

I was thinking back to the high school band days when we used a "mouth piece cleaner" to disinfect a shared instrument's mouthpiece before playing. Might not be a bad this to pick up and use occasionally. I wash my hands like crazy after the game because I've been touching the sweat-coated basketball. However, I never think about how often I've touched the whistle with the same hands before I washed them...ewww..

Just wondering if anyone uses good whistle hygiene

-Josh

[Mark Padgett]

I just soak two whistles in a paper cup full of mouthwash for about half an hour on game day, then just rinse them under cold water. I prefer cinnamon over mint, but either works. Not only does it clean them, they taste great.

[grunewar]

I've soaked mine in a vinegar/water solution overnight to get it squeaky clean (rinse it good after that though if you do that). My favorite though is to soak it overnight in mouthwash - gets it clean and tastes good all at the same time. I don't do it as often as I should though...... thanks for the reminder!

[jdmara]

I'm shocked people actually do it. I thought about mouthwash earlier when I was writing the post.

-Josh

[shavano]

I do the mouthwash soak with my whistles as well, ( learned that one during soccer season from an experienced ref).

Keeping a small bottle of hand sanitizer in the bag also helps with "degerming". You think a sweaty basketball's bad, try realizing that you just shook hands with a soccer keeper with his gloves on. ( they do all sorts of nasty stuff in those gloves). Now, it's strictly "fist bumps" a la Howie Mandel.

[just another ref]

You really want it disinfected, soak it in bleach. You want to be sure and remember that rinse afterward part, though.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by just another ref

You really want it disinfected, soak it in bleach. You want to be sure and remember that rinse afterward.

Even if it's flavored bleach? My personal favorite is cherry.

[Corndog89]

You wouldn't eat with a fork, put it away without washing it and then use it again the next day, would you? Why would you use a whistle without cleaning it? I've done the mouthwash thing in the past and it works, but now I just scrub my whistle with hot water and dish detergent after every game and then keep it in a baggie. Works for me...been using the same clean whistle for 3 years now.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Corndog89

Been using the same clean whistle for 3 years now.

Thus the saying, "As clean as a whistle".

[IREFU2]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

I just soak two whistles in a paper cup full of mouthwash for about half an hour on game day, then just rinse them under cold water. I prefer cinnamon over mint, but either works. Not only does it clean them, they taste great.

Ditto.....

[Stan]

I hook mine in the dishwasher and run'em through with the dishes.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Stan

I hook mine in the dishwasher and run'em through with the dishes.

Do water spots show up on the black whistles?

[fullor30]

I shouldn't admit this, but if I'm doing 3-4 kids games, I like to munch on a granola bar for a pick me up..trouble is I have granola buildup in my whistle, little chunks wind up in the chambers..........yuk. I've boiled them before but they lose their shine.

[Back In The Saddle]

I find that if I go more than about 1/2 a season without cleaning them, they start to fill up with goobers. Not that this grosses me out, but they stop sounding right.

I soak mine in hydrogen peroxide. You don't get that lovely cinnamon flavor, but they're reasonably sanitary. Afterward I rinse them in tap water. And if it's been a while, I'll blow through the "wrong" end just to blow out any goobers that may be lurking.

I once found half a Wendy's single with cheese in one that way.

[refnrev]

Mouthwash. Just soak, rinse, and blow!